While industrial development contributes to the welfare of society, it has also brought us numerous products which we use daily and which are far more dangerous than chrysotile. In order to benefit from the advantages of these products without undue risk, we introduce standards and develop technologies and work methods which constitute what we call controlled use. The principle dictates that when the risks associated with a product cannot be controlled, its use should be discontinued; this was the motive for banning amphibole asbestos fibres and friable asbestos products. Conversely, chrysotile and its non-friable products, such as chrysotile cement, can be controlled and therefore used in complete safety. This is the position taken by the governments of Canada and Québec, based on scientific data regarding not only chrysotile asbestos, but all minerals and metals, to ensure the safety of workers as well as the public.
History of the controlled-use policy for chrysotile
In 1978, the European Economic Community met in Brussels to study the possibility of introducing more restrictive regulatory measures for the use of asbestos.
In 1982, in response to a growing controversy over the use of asbestos, the governments of Canada and Québec, in cooperation with the Commission of the European Communities, organized an international symposium in Montréal, on the theme Asbestos, Society and Health, which brought together 700 people, including 72 experts from 14 countries. Asbestos emerged as the most studied of all minerals. On this occasion, Dr. Irving Selikoff, a researcher and anti-asbestos advocate, finally concluded that "if asbestos is appropriately controlled, it is not necessary to ban it."
The conclusions of this symposium were supported by the Ontario Royal Commission on Asbestos (ORCA) in 1984. This commission was set up to study the health and safety issues raised by the use of asbestos and, more specifically, in response to the growing concern over the problem of asbestos insulation in buildings.
After four years of work, based on the sworn testimony of eminent international scientists, the commission recommended:
ORCA's conclusions were to give rise to a new generation of asbestos regulations in Canada. All high-density products, including asbestos-cement, were considered low-risk, provided the recommended safety measures were followed. However, all handling of low-density products was made subject to stricter regulations. Based on the scientific data presented at the symposium and on ORCA's conclusions, Canada's provincial and federal governments adopted a policy of controlled use of chrysotile asbestos. Over the last ten years, the weight of scientific evidence has continued to support ORCA's conclusions (see Appendix 1).
The international scene
Following the 1982 Montreal symposium, the European Economic Community passed regulations regarding the use of asbestos by member states. Though restrictive, the standards approved by the European Commission are based on the principles of controlled-use. Today, chrysotile asbestos is authorized for use in some twenty applications, including asbestos-cement, friction products, gaskets, sealants, asphalt, etc.
In 1986, the International Labour Organisation unanimously approved Convention 162 on the safe use of asbestos. This convention advocates the strict regulation of chrysotile, but does not provide any further prohibitions, other than the banning of crocidolite and sprayed-on asbestos. Today, the controlled-use approach guides the chrysotile asbestos policies of most countries around the world.