Health Canada revises its position on the health risks of asbestos

Health Canada has updated its information on the health risks of asbestos. The changes include removing a statement that chrysotile asbestos is “less potent and does less damage to the lungs” than other types of asbestos. All types of asbestos can cause lung cancer, mesothelioma, and other diseases. The new Health Canada information also removes a statement that asbestos is dangerous when inhaled in “significant quantities,” to align with the World Health Organization’s position that there is no safe threshold of exposure.

Read the Globe and Mail article, Ottawa reverses stand on health risks of asbestos in ‘landmark shift’, for more information on the changes.

The new Health Canada position on the health risks of asbestos can be found on the Health Canada website.