The Legacy of Asbestos

As asbestos exposure is revealed as Canada’s leading cause of workplace deaths and the World Health Organization estimates that one third of workplace cancers are caused by the mineral which was once hailed as the “miracle” construction material.

A recent article in the revered medical journal The Lancet estimated total deaths worldwide from asbestos exposure at just under 200,000 – and many experts believe the peak has yet to come.

What Happened??
A recent article in the magazine Popular Mechanics took note of the “horrifying” era when asbestos was king.

Historic footage from 1942 compiled on video that extols the virtues of fireproof asbestos cloth shows a housewife of the early 20th century calmly slicing – and shredding – asbestos on her kitchen table. Women in a factory cut and sew asbestos fabrics with no protective equipment while others smile as they unfold the fabric – now curtains and tablecloths – in their homes.

While sometimes the ironies of history can be amusing, in this case they are tragic. The workers shown in the film clips were actually creating the tiny, inhalable fibres that work their way into the lungs and never come out. The effects of asbestos in causing lung ailments and cancers including deadly mesothelioma were not known until decades later when workers like these began to sicken and die.

Asbestos in Your Home
If your home was constructed before the mid-1980’s it almost certainly contains asbestos in one form or another and can appear in many places including – but not limited to:

• Floor tiles;
• Roofing materials;
• Indoor and outdoor window and door caulking;
• Acoustic ceiling tiles;
• Wall panels;
• Textured paints;
• Attic insulation (vermiculite);
• Popcorn ceilings.

There is no safe level of exposure to inhalable asbestos. While the material is considered safe while it remains intact, damage over time, renovations, flooding and any number of other factors can create friable asbestos fibres.

Safe – Not Sorry
If your home contains asbestos or asbestos containing materials (ACM) the safest route is complete asbestos removal or asbestos remediation. It’s too serious to take chances. If you suspect the presence of asbestos in your home or on your property, 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.