Recent events in Canada and Mexico, in addition to an asbestos hazard warning released by the World Health Organization (WHO), have brought attention to mesothelioma and the urgent need to ban asbestos worldwide.
Asbestos exposure is the primary cause of mesothelioma cancer. Exposure occurs by either inhaling or ingesting asbestos fibers. These fibers have the potential to become lodged in the lining of the lungs, heart or abdominal cavity, where they can cause damage that leads to cancer. Due to the latency period of mesothelioma symptoms, which can range between 20 and 50 years after exposure, the average mesothelioma life expectancy for patients upon diagnosis is four to 18 months.
On May 12, a series of high profile events occurred in Ottawa, Canada that garnered much public participation and media coverage. A well-supported anti-asbestos march and rally followed a press conference that criticized Canada's continued production of asbestos.
Tom Mulcain, a Member of Parliament and member of the New Democratic Party in Canada, stated during the press conference that Canada's current policies which promote the use of asbestos in the developing world is "scandalous and shameful." Mulcain pointed to the evidential fact that Canada-produced chrysotile asbestos is scarcely used in Canada and stated the Canadian asbestos industry's line on controlled use of chrysotile is a lie.
The following march and rally was attended by asbestos victims, trade unionists, academics and politicians. Calling for an asbestos ban, protestors held signs boasting strong slogans and the march even featured a symbolic procession of coffins to illuminate the global epidemic.
The following day (May 13) the World Health Organization just so happened to release a document on the world's top 10 hazardous substances, listing asbestos among other carcinogens such as lead, mercury and arsenic. The WHO stated in the document that "All types of asbestos cause lung cancer, mesothelioma, cancer of the larynx and ovary, and asbestosis (fibrosis of the lungs)… Currently about 125 million people in the world are exposed to asbestos at the workplace. In 2004, asbestos-related lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis from occupational exposures resulted in 107,000 deaths and 1,523,000 DALYs" (disability-adjusted life year).
A third day of international anti-asbestos news hit the media on May 14 as community activists in a Mexico City suburb gathered to protest the exposure risk at an American-owned asbestos brake linings factory.
The WHO believes the fight against asbestos can be taken through public health actions, stating, "Elimination of asbestos-related diseases should take place through the following public health actions: a) recognizing that the most efficient way to eliminate asbestos-related diseases is to stop the use of all types of asbestos; b) replacing asbestos with safer substitutes and developing economic and technological mechanisms to stimulate its replacement; c) taking measures to prevent exposure to asbestos in place and during asbestos removal (abatement), and; d) improving early diagnosis, treatment, social and medical rehabilitation of asbestos-related diseases and establishing registries of people with past and/or current exposures to asbestos."
With dedication to the above public health actions recommended by WHO, the world may see an end to unnecessary asbestos exposure and a subsequent reduction in asbestos-related diseases such as asbestosis and mesothelioma.
Additional information on mesothelioma and asbestos exposure is available through the Mesothelioma Center.
This entry was posted on Friday, May 28th, 2010 at 3:05 pm and is filed under Asbestos Exposure, Mesothelioma. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS feed. Responses are currently closed, but you trackback from your own site.
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