Canada Announces Asbestos Ban with Exemptions

The Canadian government released the final draft last week of its much-anticipated ban on asbestos, making it illegal to import, manufacture, sell, trade or use products made with the toxic mineral. The ban, which goes into effect Dec. 30, 2018, contains exemptions that still allow its use in the chlor-alkali industry, the military, nuclear facilities and for magnesium extraction from asbestos mining residue. It will be known as The Prohibition of Asbestos and Products Containing Asbestos Regulations. Canadian Environment Minister Catherine McKenna touted the tough new regulations during the announcement, but critics still condemned the exemptions. They believe the ban is not strong enough and allows too many loopholes. “I would give them credit for finally moving to ban asbestos, but I’m troubled by these weaknesses and gaps and, if anything, they seem to have gotten worse,” said Kathleen Ruff, Canadian human rights activist and board member of the Rideau Institute. “They seemed to have weakened their proposed regulations.” A Much-Anticipated Ban The announcement came almost three years after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised to push for a ban of asbestos, which once played a major role in the country’s economy. The goal was to protect Canadian workers from the danger of exposure and eliminate the market for asbestos products. Canada was once a world leader in asbestos production. “These measures will protect our communities and the health and s...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Source Type: news