Canada Blocks Inclusion of Chrysotile Asbestos at UN Summit
Canada has single-handedly blocked chrysotile asbestos from being listed as a hazardous chemical, the United Nations confirmed earlier this week. At home, the government remained silent on the issue.
At the UN summit in Switzerland, the Canadian delegation opposed the inclusion of asbestos on a UN treaty called the Rotterdam Convention.
Including asbestos on Annex III of the convention would force exporters, such as Canada, to warn recipient countries of any health hazards with the products being imported. Those countries would then have the opportunity to refuse the asbestos imports if they determine that they could not handle the product safely.
Vietnam, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan also initially opposed the listing. However, they switched positions after India announced that it was supporting the listing.
Canada was left as the only opposition. And that opposition will keep asbestos being being listed. At least for now.
This is the third time that Canada has blocked the inclusion of asbestos in the Rotterdam Convention.
Interestingly enough, asbestos use is so tight in Canada that it is nearly banned. The federal government is spending millions to remove asbestos from public and government buildings, including the Prime Minister’s residence. Yet, Canada continues to export the hazardous material for profit.
