The Canadian government has been known in the past to defend the chrysotile asbestos industry. It was the last western power that endorsed the use of asbestos worldwide. The general public was outraged when the Canadian government blocked the listing of chrysotile asbestos in the 2011 Rotterdam Convention.
Due to public pressure and the closure of Canada’s last asbestos mine in 2012, Canada has finally stopped defending the hazardous material. In the 2012 Rotterdam Convention, for the first time, Canada remained neutral. Unfortunately, seven other countries – namely, Russia, Zimbabwe, Kazakhstan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Vietnam and Ukraine – still support the use and shipping of chrysotile asbestos worldwide. This is the fourth time that the Rotterdam Convention has attempted to tighten the shipping regulations of asbestos, and although a large majority of the nations attending the conference supported the listing of this dangerous substance, protocol requires unanimity in this decision.
The reason why many nations support the use of asbestos is because it is financially rewarding. It is cost-effective and extremely versatile. Russia refuses to support the listing of chrysotile asbestos because it is the largest producer in the world of this substance. Only last year, Russia produced approximately one million tons of this toxic substance, more than double than that in China, which is the second largest producer. Zimbabwe refuses to support the listing of chrysotile asbestos because it plans to re-open one of its asbestos mines sometime in the near future.
The danger with asbestos is once inhaled, it can lead to mesothelioma. There is a long latency period between initial exposure to asbestos and mesothelioma development, and unfortunately, there is no known mesothelioma treatment available. In refusing to list chrysotile asbestos, these nations are prolonging the hazards of asbestos, and its legacy will continue to affect many generations to come.
Mesothelioma in Australia is only known too well. Many cases of mesothelioma in Australia have been made for decades. Mesothelioma treatment in Australia is constantly being researched due to the dreadful impact it has had on our county.
