Keeping Track of Deadly Asbestos

The province of Saskatchewan launched Canada’s first online asbestos registry recently – a long overdue development we believe best serves the interests of all Canadians.

What the registry does is keep track of the presence of asbestos or asbestos containing materials in public buildings. The database notes which buildings contain asbestos as well as the location and type of asbestos in question. It’s also a mobile-friendly app and building owners can update the information at any time.

Seems simple, right? Seems like the obvious thing to do… however recent news headlines about workers in federal buildings who only found out about the presence of asbestos years after they’d been working there remind us that sometimes the obvious needs to be put into black and white.

In addition, the province has established a special advisory commmittee specifically for asbestos-related health issues. With the toll of illness and deaths due to asbestos exposure still rising, we believe this is a necessary proactive measure that all Canadian provinces should adopt.

Asbestos in Your Home?
It was hailed at one time as a miracle material and no wonder – asbestos is fire retardant, moisture resistant and virtually indestructible. In the first half of the 20th century, extending to the mid-1980’s, it was widely used in all areas of construction, both residential and commercial and literally from floor to ceiling. It was only decades later that the effects on health came to be known, including several forms of lung disease and deadly mesothelioma.

If your home was built before the mid-1980’s it almost certainly contains asbestos in one form or another. If the material is intact, it is considered safe. The danger comes when the material is crumbling and creates inhalable dust that can enter the lungs.

Like the Saskatchewan initiative, it’s crucial to know where it is. While it’s safe as long as it’s intact, any activities or events that can damage those materials – which may be found anywhere from floor tiles to pipe insulation to ceiling tiles, roofing and more – can create dangerously inhalable (or friable) asbestos dust. This can include,

• Installation of home theater and home alarm systems
• Plumbing work
• Renovations
• Decorating work such as removing or repairing popcorn ceilings
• Flood or fire damage
• Anything that can disturb the integrity of walls and other structures

Safe – Not Sorry
Vigilance can help but the safest route is complete asbestos removal or asbestos remediation. If you suspect the presence of asbestos in your home, this is one situation where you don’t want to take matters into your own hands. Call the experts at GreenStream.

In the Toronto area contact GreenStreamEnvironmental.ca at (416) 818-9414. Contact us for a quote today.

Featured in Mike Holmes’ magazine, HGTV’s Income Properties, W Network’s Love It Or List It and chosen by Homestars.com as “Best Toronto Asbestos Removal Company” based on customer ratings and reviews, GreenStream Environmental Services are fully-certified, trusted and insured professionals in the removal and disposal of commercial, industrial, institutional and residential asbestos, vermiculite and mould (hazardous and non-hazardous). Providing emergency service 24/7/365 for all of Toronto and the GTA (North York, Mississauga, Markham, Brampton, Scarborough, Ajax, Oshawa, and beyond) GreenStream has over 40 combined years of experience serving clients such as the City of Toronto, the Toronto District School Board and many more. For a free estimate in Toronto, the GTA and Southern Ontario, call today at 416-818-9414. You’ll be glad you did.