Canada accused of hypocrisy over asbestos exports.

Asbestos is a lethal and naturally occurring group of minerals that has brought death and misery to people worldwide. Due to its good tensile strength and resistance to damage, asbestos became extremely popular throughout the early 20th century, and, in many less wealthy nations, remains so today, where it has several uses including strengthening cement and prolonging the life of road surfaces. Once the link between asbestos and lung disease and cancer was proven beyond doubt, high-income countries began phasing out its use and removing it from buildings. Despite this, WHO estimates that about 125 million people worldwide remain exposed to asbestos in the workplace. More than 107 000 people die each year from asbestos-related lung cancer, mesothelioma (a specifi c form of lung cancer), and asbestosis resulting from occupational exposures. One in every three deaths from occupational cancer is estimated to be caused by asbestos. Mesthothelioma is termed a timebomb because symptoms often occur several decades after exposure. Asbestos fi bres penetrate the lungs, and can lead to cancer. Cases of mesothelioma continue to rise in many high-income countries, because most exposure occurred during the 1960s and 1970s before the dangers were evident. In the UK, the mesothelioma death toll has increased from 895 in 1990 to 2249 in 2008. It could be a decade before cases begin to fall again. In Canada, deaths rose from 153 in 1984 to 386 in 2007, though the Canadian Medical Association Journal notes that “the number of cases is likely underestimated owing to diagnostic, coding and registration challenges specifi c to mesothelioma”. Canada is actively removing asbestos from its buildings, and has a de-facto ban on using the substance in any form in all but exceptional circumstances. But unlike other rich nations, Canada has been a major exporter of chrysotile, or white asbestos. It was the world’s fourth biggest exporter (behind Russia, Kazakhstan, and Brazil) shipping about 150 000 tonnes per year to developing