Asbestos is both a Hazardous Material and Designated Substance; a leading cause of cancer in the workplace. As such, it is regulated in Ontario by the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
In fact, the risk it poses in the workplace is so great that it has inspired the formation of an organization called Ban Asbestos Canada (BAC)
Run by volunteers, Ban Asbestos Canada is a non-profit organization consisting of labour, public health, environmental & human rights groups, scientists, concerned citizens and families and victims of asbestos-related diseases.
Its mission is to “provide just compensation to those affected by asbestos , establish a national registry of asbestos diseases, and provide a just transition to those still working in the asbestos industry.”
Its overall goal is to ban asbestos globally and control the international transport of hazardous substances, such as asbestos.
Moreover, the organization wants the Canadian government to be accountable and take responsibility for its past promotion of this hazardous substance and the deadly toll it has taken on Canadians and those abroad.
Those interested in joining the fight can download a printable petition calling for a ban on asbestos that is available here. Simply print out, complete and send to:
Ban Asbestos Canada
c/o CUPE Health, Safety and Environment Branch
1375 St. Laurent Boulevard
Ottawa, Ontario K1G 0Z7
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