Ban-Asbestos-India: Quebec Premier Charest Accused Of Lying About Asbestos

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Quebec Premier Charest Accused Of Lying About Asbestos

Premier Charest Accused Of Lying About Asbestos
http://topnews.ae/content/21458-premier-charest-accused-lying-about-asbestos

Adverse coverage of Radio-Canada (CBC) TV and radio on the letter to Quebec's Premier Jean Charest challenging him for his blatant misrepresentation of the position of the WHO regarding asbestos.

When challenged in India about the illnesses being suffered by Indian workers who had been handling Quebec's asbestos, Charest stated that many WHO reports back up his position that chrysotile asbestos (which represents 100% of the asbestos trade) can be safely handled under controlled conditions.

Sources from Canada inform that they then interviewed scientists who stated that this is false, that there is not a single WHO report supporting Charest's "safe use" policy and that, in fact, the WHO recommends ending use of asbestos.

The Quebec Minister of Health was then interviewed and expressed his support for the "safe use" position. They then interviewed the Minister of Health's own health experts who disagreed and said that Quebec has had difficulties to achieve "safe use" and that "safe use" is likely impossible, particularly for workers in the construction industry.

Here are the links to the Radio-Canada coverage:

a TV: http://www.radio-canada.ca/audio-video/pop.shtml#urlMedia=http://www.radio-canada.ca/Medianet/2010/RDI2/TelejournalSurRDI21H201002122100_5.asx&epr=true
b) Radio : http://www.radio-canada.ca/audio-video/pop.shtml#urlMedia=http://www.radio-canada.ca/Medianet/2010/CBF/Radiojournal201002121700_4.asx&epr=true

c) Article on website: http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/societe/2010/02/12/002-amiante-scientifiques.shtml

2) There is a strong opinion piece by Alain Dubuc, an influential columnist at La Presse. It challenges Premier Charest for his hypocrisy over asbestos and says this can do serious damage to Quebec's reputation.
"Quand c'est notre cochonnerie" (When it's our ugly doings), La Presse, le 12 février 2010,
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/opinions/chroniqueurs/alain-dubuc/201002/12/01-948888-quand-cest-notre-cochonnerie.php

3) There is also an extraordinarily powerful letter in Le Soleil, which is accompanied by a large photo and heading, giving the letter great prominence. You might want to take a look. The letter is titled "Tribal Reflex". It says that the three major political parties in Quebec have endorsed export of asbestos to poor countries, without caring about the health of the population there. This contradicts any claim by these parties that our society is the most just, the most generous and the best environmentally. They are making an ugly face at their country, which disapproves of this practice. This shows a smallness of spirit, a tribal reflex.

"Réflexe tribal", le 11 février 2010 http://www.cyberpresse.ca/le-soleil/opinions/carrefour/201002/09/01-947913-reflexe-tribal.php

3) There was even coverage of the letter to Charest in an Arab Emirates publication.

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Ban on Asbestos is a Must

A study in a peer-reviewed journal had earlier estimated that there could be more than 6,000 workers affected by asbestosis (an untreatable lung ailment) and another 600 suffering at the minimum from asbestosis-related lung cancer in India at present. Occupational cancer from asbestos, the disease caused by emissions at the work place, poses an increasingly serious health problem. But the subject has attracted relatively little attention from industry, labour, public health bodies or the medical profession. Asbestos is one of the single largest sources of occupational cancer. Indian polticians are acting as if they are bonded workers of asbestos industry.

World Trade Center, New York collapsed Thousands of tons of asbestos became airborne.

Back in 1981, there was research coming out that Asbestos was cancer causing and this ad was in rebuttal to that research touting the benefits of using Asbestos. The text over the Twin Towers states, "When the Fire Alarm Went Off, It Took Two Hours to Evacuate New York's World Trade Center." I do not need to remind anyone of the images of September 11th and this ad. The copy below the ad goes on to mention all of the places that Asbestos was used in the World Trade Center. I can not not think of all of the innocent victims in the area that were exposed to all of the dust, smoke and inherent asbestos that was in the air after the buildings collapsed. The cloud of smoke went across the entire city and potentially exposed hundreds of thousands of individuals to asbestos. Hopefully there can be a cure or treatment for Mesothelioma before all of these potential victims are diagnosed.

Apex Court allocates meagre compensation for asbetsos victims

In 1995, the Supreme Court of India fixed Rs 1 lakh compensation amount and identified National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH) as the final authority to certify asbestosis cases. Compensations are given through the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC). Two workers in Ahmedabad Electricity Company diagnosed as having asbestosis by NIOH have been compensated by Gujarat High Court. Twenty-five workers in asbestos jointing and packing industry at Mumbai were compensated by the Special medical board of ESIC. The court ruled that the industrial units must maintain a health record of every worker up to a minimum period of 40 years; insure workers under the Employees State Insurance Act or Workmen’s Compensation Act and give health coverage to every worker.

Asbestos Victims

Every day estimated 30 deaths in India is under way due to the ongoing trade and use of white asbestos. 'Asbestos' in Greek means 'indestructible'. Greeks called asbestos the 'magic mineral'. Asbestos is a generic term, referring usually to six kinds of naturally occuring mineral fibres. Of these six, three are used more commonly. Chrysotile is the most common, accounts for almost 90 per cent of the asbestos used in the industry, but it is not unusual to encounter Amosite or Crocidolite as well. Though Crocidolite asbestos is banned in India, it can still be found in old insulation material, old ships that come from other countries for wrecking in India. All types of asbestos tend to break into very tiny fibre, almost microscopic. In fact, some of them may be up to 700 times smaller than human hair. Because of their small size, once released into the air, they may stay suspended in the air for hours or even days. Asbestos fibres are virtually indestructible. They are resistant to chemicals and heat, and are very stable in the environment. They do not evaporate into air or dissolve in water, and they do not break down over time. Because of its high durability and with tensile strength asbestos has been widely used inconstruction and insulation materials - it has been used in over 3,000 different products. Where do we use it? In India, asbestos is used in manufacture of pressure and non pressure pipes used for water supply, sewage, irrigation and drainage system in urban and rural areas, asbestos textiles, laminated products, tape, gland packing, packing ropes, brake lining and jointing used in core sector industries such as automobile, heavy equipment, petro-chemicals, nuclear power plants, fertilizers, thermal power plants, transportation, defence.

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Saturday, February 13, 2010

Quebec Premier Charest Accused Of Lying About Asbestos

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