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Manifeste
To date, this manifest on chrysotile (of September 2005) has been endorsed with resolutions by over fifty organizations and municipalities of regions of Thetford Mines, Asbestos, Chaudière-Appalaches, Estrie and else where in Quebec. You too can give us your comments
Based on 3 observations, The ProChrysotile Movement puts forward 10 proposals to promote the responsible use of chrysotile in non-friable products in Quebec. The use of these durable products requiring little energy to produce, in public infrastructures is compatible with respect of the environment, health and sustainable development of Quebec society.
1st OBSERVATION
The non-differentiated use of different types of asbestos, faulty methods of employing them as well as the lack of safe use standards generated important health problems which still today affect many workers several decades after long exposures to high levels of fibrous dust.
2nd OBSERVATION
A) Scientists, world regulatory bodies as well as interested parties from industry and labour organisations have defined safe use rules for chrysotile products. The errors of the past from before 1975 must no longer serve as a pretext to condemn a natural mineral which, managed and used safely, gives inestimable services to society, more over, for which the replacement products are not safer for health.
B) The harmless of replacement products for asbestos and chrysotile has never been proved.
C) Chrysotile does not present a problem for public health. However it remains a product subject to work place controls.
2rd OBSERVATION
3 3 years after the adoption of the policy of increased and safe use of chrysotile, there are no positive results. On the contrary, the administration of this policy raises more questions than solutions and the use of chrysotile has declined in Quebec.
PROPOSALS
PROPOSAL 1
The ProChrysotile Movement requests the Government of Quebec to follow through with its policy of increased and safe use of chrysotile of June 2002 and to decree that it favours the use of chrysotile according to the principles of encapsulation in non-friable products (bitumen, cement, resin, latex, etc…).
PROPOSAL 2
The Movement also proposes that section 3.23 of Safety Code for Construction work include only materials containing asbestos installed prior to 1980; while the installation of non-friable products containing chrysotile like chryso-cement, chrysotile asphalt, shingles containing chrysotile asphalt for roofs, chrysotile vinyl tiles made after 1980 not be subject to section 3,23.
PROPOSAL 3
The Movement proposes that the Government inform and induce its Ministries and Organisms to favour the use of products containing chrysotile, providing that they meet requirements.
PROPOSAL 4
Likewise the Movement requests that the Government of Quebec increase to 5 000 tonnes per year by 2006 its use of chrysotile in asphalt road coverings on roads under its jurisdiction and to 10 000 tonnes per year by 2008.
PROPOSAL 5
The Movement asks the Government to establish a program of financing and assistance to research and development and to the commercialisation of new chrysotile products in partnership with private enterprise.
PROPOSAL 6
The Movement requests the Government to collaborate in construction with developers on a feasibility study regarding the construction of plant to fabricate chrysotile-cement materials.
PROPOSAL 7
The movement asks the Government (via the standards office) to establish specifications permitting the safe use of chrysotile - cement pipes to transport potable water.
PROPOSAL 8
The Movement asks the Government (via the Ministry of Municipal Affairs) to promote its policy of increased and safe use of chrysotile with municipalities and encourage them to adhere to it.
PROPOSAL 9
The Movement requests the Government to mobilize or immediately set up a pro-active committee of its Ministries and Organisms having an economic vocation, including on this committee a representative of the Movement, or of the Chrysotile Institute or from Industry, to activate the growth aspect of the policy of safe and increased use of chrysotile adopted in June 2002. The life cycle of materials should be taken into account.
PROPOSAL 10
The Movement asks the Government to have article 2.10.8 of the Safety Code applied for construction work (s-2.1, r, 6) and this for all contaminants in the air at the work place. This article reads as follows : " Protection of respiratory tracts : impurities in work place air should be eliminated at their point of origin, in order to reduce their concentration below the threshold limit values shown at Annex "A" of the Quality of the work place regulations (c.s-2.1,r.15)" to accomplish this, the true exposure of construction workers to all the contaminants listed at Annex "A" of the regulations on Health and Safety should be measured.
Complete text of the September 2005 documents in pdf format
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