#Canada150: The Legacy of Asbestos

As Canada turns 150 years old, along with the celebrations, it’s time to also take stock of issues that have left a darker thread in our legacy as a country – one of them being asbestos. The Miracle Material Asbestos had been used by indigenous people in the American West and other areas where it…

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Asbestos Worries After Fire

The residents of an Eastern Ontario building complex are concerned about asbestos contamination after a fire at the building. Last month, a row housing complex in Nepean was virtually gutted by a fire. Naturally, the residents had to be evacuated, but after the fire inspectors were done, any items that were salvaged from the burnt…

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GreenStream – Asbestos Removal In The News

A CBC Toronto Radio programme – Here And Now – recently had a show on asbestos and what the troublesome mineral means for homeowners. When they looked to an expert to provide some context, they looked no further than our own Manny Oliveira, owner of GreenStream Environmental. As the show and the interview highlighted, asbestos…

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Asbestos Containment – Company Prosecuted

It may take a while, but the wheels of justice do turn every now and then. This summer, six Manitoba companies were prosecuted for Workplace Safety and Health Act violations. Most of the cases were already two to three years old and one involved asbestos exposure. The Manitoba government released the details to remind employers…

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Tragic Death of Asbestos Advocate Reminds of Vermiculite Dangers

As 2015 came to a close, headlines across the country brought the news of the tragic passing of Raven ThunderSky, an asbestos advocate. Buildings in the First Nations reservation she grew up on in Manitoba were insulated with vermiculite that was contaminated with asbestos. ThunderSky had already lost several relatives to asbestos-related disease. Zonolite – the brand…

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Health Canada Updates Asbestos Verbiage

A recent change in Health Canada‘s official position on asbestos comes in the wake of the industry’s collapse in this country. Even if we had to wait for the political optics to change, however, the move to recognize the weight of scientific and medical opinion on the health consequences of asbestos exposure is a welcome…

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Aging Infrastructure: Asbestos in Water Pipes

You’ve heard about asbestos in the air – what about asbestos fibres in the water? Just as the physical properties of asbestos – it is fire resistant, corrosion resistant and nearly indestructible – made it seem like the ideal construction material for both residential and industrial buildings; those same longwearing qualities made it seem like…

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