Although banned in Canada since 2018, asbestos is still almost everywhere. On Thursday, the Association for Asbestos Victims of Quebec (AVAQ) published a map of public buildings that contain this dangerous mineral, to help the public see more clearly.
The map lists nearly 3,700 public buildings containing asbestos, some belonging to the health and education networks. “We want it to be a prevention tool for people,” says Norman King, epidemiologist and scientific advisor to the AVAQ.
To develop the mapping, the AVAQ analyzed documents filed with the Environmental Public Hearing Office (BAPE) in 2020 and linked to report 351, in addition to making several requests for access to information to various ministries. The organization hired Samuel Gélinas, a master’s student in geography at UQAM, to illustrate the data collected.
View the map
In an inert state, asbestos contained in building structures from the last century does not pose a health hazard. “But if we decide to do work in one of these buildings, it only takes a very small dose of exposure to make us sick,” warns Norman King.
Every year, asbestos dust is responsible for hundreds of deaths caused by respiratory diseases such as mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lung, according to data from the CNESST, which also indicates that 85% of all deaths from occupational disease are workers exposed to asbestos.
“Prevention is the first step to ensuring that no one develops these debilitating and deadly diseases,” adds Norman King.
Prevention measure
Access to a register like that of the AVAQ is a step forward, according to Francine Labrèche, professor specializing in public health at the University of Montreal. “It is very useful, especially for workers who would like to check if the building where they are going to carry out work contains asbestos. […]because in these cases, additional measures must be taken,” she says.
However, it is not enough to make this data public. “We also need to disseminate information well,” says the researcher, according to whom it still happens too often that work in buildings is undertaken without the necessary precautions. “In these cases, there are sometimes mistakes made, and contamination takes place. »
A person who inhales a little asbestos fiber will not necessarily fall ill, reassures Francine Labrèche, specifying that certain types of asbestos pose more health risks than others. “But if you have to be exposed, there are ways to protect yourself,” she explains. Hence the importance of being well informed. »
AVAQ’s mapping does not concern residential buildings, but the organization hopes to encourage municipalities to impose asbestos tests on all owners who wish to renovate their homes. “By doing this, we would protect not only the workers who do the work, but also the people who live in these environments,” adds Norman King.