In a move that surprised most Canadians because they thought it had already happened, the federal government banned asbestos last December. The plan is for all the changed codes and regulations to take effect in 2018.
Most people are very surprised that this wasn’t banned years ago, considering most people are very aware of how many health issues surround asbestos. Not only is asbestos a carcinogen, which has been linked to roughly half of the occupational cancer deaths worldwide by the WHO, it can also cause Asbestosis, a scarring of the lungs that makes breathing difficult.
Some of the key commitments made are to create new regulations under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA), such as new safety rules intended to limit the number of people who could possibly come into contact with asbestos. Building codes will also be changed to prohibit the use of asbestos in construction and renovation projects. And they are going to expand the list of public buildings that have asbestos within.
So how does this affect you?
At its simplest, this will probably affect any person looking to renovate any building. Since asbestos was commonly used as insulation up until the 1990’s, and most old buildings in Canada contain some asbestos. Don’t forget some plaster and tiles contain asbestos as well. Instead of just ripping apart a building and throwing on some masks, these new laws may completely prevent any non-trained or licensed person from working on any sort of demolition or renovation.
Enviro-Vac has the experience, certified and trained personnel who know how to properly handle asbestos. Their asbestos disposal, abatement and safety programs are second to none in the country.
