Today, the United States processes more than 2,200 metric tons of deadly asbestos materials each year. In our opinion, that's 2,200 metric tons too many, even though it is a significant drop compared to our usage 50 years ago. Although our country's widespread usage of asbestos has diminished significantly over the past three decades, the toxic product is still actively mined, sold and used in construction projects worldwide, particularly in Asia. According to data compiled by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, China and India, the two most populous countries on the planet, represented the two largest consumers of more...Last week, Bloomberg published a story on the “slow poison” that was scarring the lungs of Indian citizens. The poison that they referred to is asbestos, a mineral used for its fire resistant properties and tensile strength. Asbestos is used in many products in India, including cheap roofing that is often used for slum housing. At $7 per sheet, the price is hard to beat; but the value comes with a serious hazard. Inhalation of the asbestos fibers released when the sheets are damaged can cause serious diseases such as mesothelioma cancer, an asbestos-related disease that affects the lining of more...Canada’s ongoing export of the world’s deadliest industrial material reached Comedy Central on Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show. The sheer absurdity of pretending that chrysotile asbestos can be used safely, while so many suffer from diseases like mesothelioma and asbestosis that are linked to asbestos exposure, caught the attention of the political satire show. The segment lasted five minutes, ridiculing the industry, the mining company, and the town of Asbestos; however, the humor didn’t end there. Following the episode’s airdate, Mr. Bernard Coulombe, Executive Director of Jeffrey Mine in Asbestos, released a response that even the more...In a farm-dominated area of India, a factory lays half-built. The youth of the village in Bihar have worked tirelessly to stop the construction of an asbestos plant that could threaten the health of its populace. Initially Devendra Ram, a villager near the plant, was ecstatic at the idea of the jobs this factory would create. But when his son Hare Krishna told him of the dangers of the material, Mr. Ram changed his mind. Hare Krishna learned of the dangers of asbestos from his science classes in the government-run school he more...The money-making world of the asbestos industry continues to go round. After more than 50 countries instituted laws to ban the use of the harmful mineral linked to the causation of mesothelioma and other devastating diseases, Canada is trying to bring asbestos back into economic fashion. Don’t be confused; Canadians do not have a sudden urge to erect asbestos towers, nor do they crave asbestos as a dinner seasoning. While Canada has yet to completely ban asbestos, asbestos use within Canada is heavily regulated and generally unused. While only 5% of the mined asbestos fibers stay in more...