Translated by
The Asbestos Institute
Montreal, July 5, 1996 - "By adopting a facile solution to extricate itself from a political quandary, the French government has set a dangerous precedent that threatens future regulation for dozens, if not hundreds, of potentially carcinogenic products, including fibres, chemicals, and others," said Clément Godbout, President of the Fédération des travailleurs et des travailleuses du Québec (FTQ), the largest labour union in the province, in response to the decision by the government of France announced on July 3, 1996 to ban all asbestos products as of January 1, 1997.
The reality of industrial risk
"Working with dangerous products is an integral part of our industrial society which we cannot circumvent. Faced with this reality, the groups concerned - namely, government, industry, and workers - must insure that all materials conform to safety practices, from extraction to production to disposal. The French government's decision is an abdication of its responsibilities which raises a question fraught with consequences for the future. If, as it suggests, it is impossible to handle current asbestos products, such as asbestos-cement and brake linings, safely by applying simple and well-known work practices and controlled-use measures, how many other products will have to be banned?" added Clément Godbout.
Quebec's experience
"We have not yet had the opportunity to study in detail the report by the Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale which was apparently the basis for the French government's decision; however, what we do know about it is completely at odds with the experience of chrysotile miners in Quebec. Miners in Quebec fought for years to obtain the best prevention and controlled-use programs. We are convinced that the low exposure levels currently in force insure that workers in mines and mills face working conditions that are as safe, if not safer, than those encountered by workers in other fibre and chemical product industries," explained Mr. Dugas, the Director of the Syndicat des Métallos du Québec (the Metalworkers' union).
"Our members' experience with controlled-use regulations has persuaded them of the validity of this approach. The French government's decision undercuts all that we have laboriously acquired and threatens to destroy all efforts to promote the responsible management of potentially dangerous materials."
Accordingly, the FTQ has asked the Government of Canada and the Government of Québec to study all possible recourses to counter the French government's decision and to evaluate its impact on the asbestos industry and other industries.