The scientific evidence is overwhelmingly clear that all asbestos is deadly and that \u201csafe use\u201d of asbestos is impossible. The world\u2019s leading health authorities have called for an end to the use of any asbestos, stating that this is the only way to prevent further tragic epidemics of asbestos-related disease and death.<\/p>\n
As part of its ruthless tactics to try to suppress the scientific evidence about harm caused by asbestos, the asbestos industry has filed legal threats against scientists in Brazil, India and Thailand to try to silence them. Below is a Statement, signed by close to one hundred leading scientists around the world, condemning the intimidation tactics of the asbestos industry, expressing support for the scientists being threatened, and calling on governments everywhere to put the health of their citizens first and to stop the use of all asbestos.<\/p>\n
Kathleen Ruff<\/p>\n
Scientists have a professional and ethical duty to put forward evidence-based scientific information. When public health is involved and people\u2019s lives are at risk, this duty is especially critical.<\/p>\n
It is reprehensible that the asbestos industry is currently threatening scientists with legal action because these scientists have acted in conformity with their professional and ethical duty and have put forward evidence-based scientific information regarding harm caused by all forms of asbestos. The asbestos industry is endeavouring to suppress this information.<\/p>\n
These tactics of intimidation by the asbestos industry are a threat to all scientists, a threat to freedom of speech and a threat to public health. They create a climate of fear, which deters others from putting forward evidence-based science that is displeasing to vested interests. This undermines the safety and well being of all citizens. In addition, these tactics of intimidation cause great personal, emotional and financial stress on the scientists targeted and their families.<\/p>\n
The asbestos industry has served legal threats against the following scientists:<\/p>\n
* In Brazil, the Chrysotile Institute of Brazil (Instituto Brasileiro do Crisotila) has filed a legal threat against Professor Hermano Albuquerque Castro, National School of Public Health (FIOCRUZ), to try to stop him from putting forward evidence-based scientific information on the risk to health posed by chrysotile asbestos.<\/p>\n
* In India, the Asbestos Cement Products Manufacturers\u2019 Association has served legal threats on a number of scientists, including Professor Sanjay Chaturvedi, University College of Medical Sciences, Delhi, and Dr Tushar Kant Joshi, Director, Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, to try to stop the scientists from writing about the threat to health posed by chrysotile asbestos.<\/p>\n
* In Thailand, the Chrysotile Information Center has served a legal threat on Professor Vithaya Kulsomboon of Chulalongkorn University to try to stop him from informing the public about the threat to health posed by chrysotile asbestos.<\/p>\n
As scientists from around the world, we share a commitment to defend public health and the integrity of science.<\/p>\n
* WE STRONGLY CONDEMN THE ABOVE ACTIONS<\/strong> and express our support for the scientists who have been targeted.<\/p>\n * WE CALL ON THE WORLDWIDE ASBESTOS INDUSTRY<\/strong> and, in particular, the Chrysotile Institute of Brazil, the Asbestos Cement Products Manufacturers\u2019 Association of India and the Chrysotile Information Center Of Thailand to cease using legal threats to intimidate scientists, to withdraw the legal threats served against scientists in Brazil, India and Thailand and to compensate these scientists for the legal costs they have incurred.<\/p>\n * WE CALL ON THE GOVERNMENTS OF BRAZIL, INDIA AND THAILAND<\/strong> to condemn the tactics of intimidation being used by the asbestos industry against scientists in their countries and to give support to the scientists who have been threatened.<\/p>\n * WE URGE ALL GOVERNMENTS<\/strong> to put the health of their populations ahead of the interests of the asbestos industry by implementing the recommendation of the World Health Organization to end all use of asbestos.<\/p>\n SIGNED (by alphabetical order):<\/strong><\/p>\n DR ELIA ABI-JAOUDE, MSc, MD, Research Fellow, University of Toronto, Canada<\/p>\n DR SELIM AHMED, MBBS, FCPS, MPH, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University Malaysia Sabah (UMS),Sabah, Malaysia; former Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Institute of Child and Mother Health, Matuail, Dhaka, Bangladesh<\/p>\n DR EDUARDO ALGRANTI, MD, MSc, Pneumology, University of Wales, Doctor in Public Health, University of S\u00e3o Paulo; Chief, Division of Medicine, FUNDACENTRO; Director – FUNDACENTRO WHO Collaborating Centre in Occupational Health; Member of the WHO Advisory Committee on Occupational Health; Brazil<\/p>\n DR NEIL ARYA, MD, CCFP, FCFP, D.Litt., Director, Office of Global Health, and Adjunct Professor, Environment and Resource Studies, University of Waterloo, Canada; Assistant Clinical Professor, Family Medicine, McMaster University: Adjunct Professor, Family Medicine, Western University; past President, Physicians for Global Survival; Canada<\/p>\n DR PIERRE L. AUGER, MD, Msc, FRCPC, CSPQ, Occupational Medicine, Clinical Professor, Laval University, Qu\u00e9bec, Canada<\/p>\n DR MICHELINE BEAUDRY, Ph.D., Professor (retired), Universit\u00e9 Laval; current chair, Commission on Health, Living conditions and Social services, Qu\u00e9bec solidaire, Qu\u00e9bec, Canada<\/p>\n DR FIORELLA BELPOGGI, Director, Cesare Maltoni Cancer Research Centre, Ramazzini Institute, Italy<\/p>\n DR PIERRE BIRON, MD, MS, Honorary Professor of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Universit\u00e9 de Montr\u00e9al, Qu\u00e9bec, Canada<\/p>\n DR YV BONNIER VIGER, MD, MSc, MM, CMSQ, FRCPC, Medical Specialist in Public Health and Preventive Medicine; Director of the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Qu\u00e9bec; Pr\u00e9sident de l’Association des m\u00e9decins sp\u00e9cialistes en sant\u00e9 communautaire du Qu\u00e9bec, Canada<\/p>\n DR. MICHAEL BYERS, Professor & Canada Research Chair in Global Politics and International Law, University of British Columbia, Canada<\/p>\n DR EDUARDO MARINHO BARBOSA, Mining Engineer, MSc. Pedagogy, PhD. Public Health (Epidemiology) on course, Federal Institute Of Education, Science And Technology Of Bahia \u2013 IFBA, Brazil<\/p>\n DR ERNESTO BURGIO, pediatrician, President, Scientific Office, International Society of Doctors for the Environment; member of ARTAC Scientific Committee, member of European Society for Research & Prevention on Environment and Health, member of Environmental Health Commission of SIP (Italian Society of Pediatrics), Italy<\/p>\n DR EUGENE K. CAIRNCROSS, Ph.D. Adjunct Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa<\/p>\n DR CHRIS CARLSTEN, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine (Respiratory); Chair in Occupational and Environmental Lung Disease; Director, Occupational Lung Disease Clinic, Associate Faculty, School of Environmental Health; Associate, UBC James Hogg Research Centre, University of British Columbia; Vancouver General Hospital (The Lung Centre), BC, Canada<\/p>\n DR DAVID O. CARPENTER, M.D., Director, Institute for Health and the Environment, University at Albany, Rensselaer, New York, USA<\/p>\n DR BARRY CASTLEMAN, ScD, Environmental Consultant, USA; author, Asbestos: Medical and Legal Aspects, USA<\/p>\n ANDR\u00c9 CICOLELLA, Scientific adviser, INERIS, National Institute for Environment and Risks, France; Pr\u00e9sident du R\u00e9seau Environnement Sant\u00e9 France<\/p>\n PROF. RICHARD CLAPP, D.Sc., MPH, Adjunct Professor, University of Massachusetts \u2013 Lowell, Lowell, MA, USA<\/p>\n DR HELENO RODRIGUES CORREA-FILHO, Dr.PH, MD, Epidemiologist, Associate Professor, UNICAMP, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Brazil<\/p>\n DR PIERRE DESHAIES, MD, MSc, CSPQ, FRCPC, Clinical Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Qu\u00e9bec, Canada<\/p>\n DRA ANA DIGON, MD, Chief of Chemical Risks Program, Ministry of Health, Buenos Aires, Argentina<\/p>\n DR DAVID EGILMAN, MD, MPH, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine, Brown University, Rhode Island, USA<\/p>\n DR MARIAN R. FLUM, ScD, Occupational Health Researcher, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Department of Work Environment, Lowell, MA, USA<\/p>\n DR ARTHUR L. FRANK, MD, PhD, Professor of Public Health, Drexel University School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA, USA<\/p>\n DR ERICA FRANK, MD, MPH, Professor and Canada Research Chair, University of British Columbia, School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine; 2008<\/p>\n President, Physicians for Social Responsibility; Founder and President, www.NextGenU.org; Canada<\/p>\n PROFESSOR LIN FRITSCHI, MBBS, PhD, Western Australian Institute for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia<\/p>\n DR THOMAS H GASSERT, MD, MSc, Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Visiting Scientist in Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Harvard University School of Public Health, USA<\/p>\n FERNANDA GIANNASI, Civil engineer, post-graduate in Health and SafetyEngineering; Labor Inspector, Brazilian Federal Ministry of Labor and Employment; Coordinator, GIA \u2014 Inter-Institutional Group on Asbestos; General Manager, State Program on Asbestos, Regional Superintendence of Labor and Employment, State of S\u00e3o Paulo; Coordinator, Virtual Citizens’ Network for the Banning of Asbestos in Latin America; founder, ABREA, the Brazilian Association of People Exposed to Asbestos, Brazil<\/p>\n DR MARISA GILLES, Public health Physician, Bsc, MBBs, MPH, MAE, FAFPHP, Associate Professor, Public Health Physician Midwest Population Health Unit, Western Australia<\/p>\n DR ROBERT GOODLAND, BSc, MSc, PhD, formerly the World Bank Group’s environmental advisor for 23 years; technical director of the independent Extractive Industry Review<\/p>\n DR MORRIS GREENBERG, MB, FRCP, FFOM, former, HM Medical Inspector of Factories, England<\/p>\n PROFESSOR JANE HEYWORTH, Sub Dean Health Science, School of Population Health, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia<\/p>\n PROFESSOR MANAMI HORIHATA, J\uff0eF. Oberlin University, Associate Professor of Integrated Sciences, Japan<\/p>\n MUMTAZ HUSSAIN, M.Sc. Public Health Engineering\/Environmental Engineering, Chairman, Society for Conservation of Environment and Sustainable Development; Director, National Foundation for Environmental Education and Research; Chairman, Environment Media Forum, Pakistan<\/p>\n DR KOUKI INAI, M.D., Ph.D., Emeritus Professor of Hiroshima University, Japan<\/p>\n DEWI UTAMI IRIANI, MPH, graduate student, Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, Juntendo University, Japan; Syarif Hidayatullah Islamic State University, Indonesia<\/p>\n PROF. YAYOI ISONO, Faculty of Contemporary Law, Tokyo Keizai University, Japan<\/p>\n DR MOHAMED F JEEBHAY, MBChB, PhD, Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, South Africa<\/p>\n DR NOOR JEHAN, Professor and Chair, Dept. of Environmental Sciences, University of Peshawar, Pakistan<\/p>\n DR RUXANA JINA, South Africa<\/p>\n DR EDWARD W. KEYSERLINGK, LLM, PhD, Professor of Medical Ethics & Health Law (retired), Faculty of Medicine, McGill University; former member, Law Reform Commission of Canada; formerly the Public Service Integrity Officer, Government of Canada<\/p>\n DR JOHN R. KEYSERLINGK, MD, MSc, FRCS , FACS, Surgical Oncologist, St Mary’s Hospital & H\u00f4pital du Sacr\u00e9 Coeur; Director, Ville Marie Oncology Center, Montr\u00e9al, Qu\u00e9bec, Canada<\/p>\n DR AMIR KHADIR, m\u00e9decin sp\u00e9cialiste; deputy for Mercier in the National Assembly of Qu\u00e9bec, Canada<\/p>\n DR NORIO KURUMATANI, MD, Professor of Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Nara Medical University, Japan<\/p>\n PROFESSOR TRUDO LEMMENS, LicJur, LLM, DCL, William M. Scholl Chair in Health Law and Policy, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada<\/p>\n DR. JIRAPORN LIMPANANONT, Foundation For Consumers (FFC), Social Pharmacy Research Unit (SPRU), Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand<\/p>\n PROFESSOR ABBY LIPPMAN, PhD, Professor Emerita, Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Qu\u00e9bec, Canada<\/p>\n PROFESSOR LESLIE LONDON, Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, Health Sciences Faculty, University of Cape Town, South Africa<\/p>\n DR GUADALUPE AGUILAR MADRID, MD, MSc, PhD, Researcher, Occupational Health Research Unit, IMSS, Mexico<\/p>\n DR SHUAIB ISMAIL MANJRA, MBChB, MmedSci, BSc (Med)(Hons), DOH Occupational Health Physician, Cape Town, South Africa<\/p>\n PROFESSOR DR. TSUYOSHI MATSUDA, Environmental Ethics, Graduate School of Humanities, Kobe University, Japan<\/p>\n DR. DONNA E. MAZIAK, MDCM, MSc, FRCSC, FACS, Professor, University of Ottawa, Program Director, Division of Thoracic Surgery, Ottawa Hospital – General Division, Canada<\/p>\n DR. SAIMA MEMON, In-Charge Director\/Assist Professor, Institute of Advance Research Studies in Chemical Sciences, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Pakistan<\/p>\n DR.UGRID MILINTANGKUL, Family Physician, Deputy Secretary of National Health Commission; Ex-Secretary General Folk Doctor Foundation, Thailand<\/p>\n PROF. KENICHI MIYAMOTO, Dr.Economics, Visiting Professor of Ritsumeikan University, Professor Emeritus of Osaka City University, Professor Emeritus Of Shiga University, Environmental Economist, Japan<\/p>\n DR ANNIE TH\u00c9BAUD-MONY, PhD, Director, National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), France; Specialist in occupational cancer, University Paris 13, France<\/p>\n DR IPPEI MORI, MD, PhD, Associate Professor, Graduate School of Medicine, Mie University, Japan<\/p>\n DR MOKGADI MOTHEMELA, University of Cape Town, South Africa<\/p>\n DR JOCHEN MUELLER, Professor for Environmental Toxicology, National Research Center for Environmental Toxicology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia<\/p>\n DR LIAM A. MULROY, MD, FRCPC, Associate Professor, Dept. Of Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada<\/p>\n DR GERALD V. POJE, Ph.D., Former board member, U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, Vienna, US<\/p>\n PROFESSOR TAKEHIKO MURAYAMA, PHD, Professor, Department of Environmental Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan<\/p>\n DR \u00c9RIC NOTEBAERT, MD, MSc, Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Montreal, Quebec; Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment<\/p>\n DR IMAN NUWAYHID, MD, DrPH, Professor and Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Lebanon<\/p>\n DR. CAROLE P. O’BEIRNE, M.Sc., M.D., FRCPC Pediatrics, Staff Pediatrician, Department of Pediatrics, Toronto East General Hospital; Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Sick Kids Hospital; Lecturer, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Canada<\/p>\n PROFESSOR RORY O’NEILL, Editor, Hazards magazine www.hazards.org; Professor, Occupational and Environmental Health Research Group, University of Stirling, Scotland; Health, safety and environment officer, International Federation of Journalists<\/p>\n DR DOMYUNG PAEK, MD, MSc, ScD, Dean, School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea<\/p>\n DR. PATCHARAPORN PANYAWUTHIKRAI, Thailand<\/p>\n DR GERALD V. POJE, Ph.D., Former board member, U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, Vienna, US<\/p>\n PROFESSOR STEPHEN RICHER, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus and former Chair, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Carleton University, Canada<\/p>\n DR EDUARDO RODRIGUEZ, MD, Chief of Health Workers Program, Ministry of Health, Buenos Aires, Argentina<\/p>\n PROF. DAVID ROSNER, PhD, Ronald H. Lauterstein Professor of Sociomedical Sciences and Professor of History, Columbia University, USA<\/p>\n DR JAMES ROSS, MBBS, MPH, MMED, GCert ehealth, GAICD, AFACHSM, FAsMA, FAFPHM, FAFOEM, President-Elect, Australasian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Medical Director Aspen Medical\/Remote Area Health Corps, Australia<\/p>\n DR ANNIE J. SASCO, MD, MPH, SM, DrPH, HDR, Inserm Director of research, Epidemiology for Cancer Prevention; previously IARC Unit Chief and WHO Acting Chief Program for Cancer Control; Fellow, Collegium Ramazzini; Bordeaux Segalen University, France<\/p>\n DR L. DUNCAN SAUNDERS, MBBCh, PhD, Professor and Past Chair, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada<\/p>\n DR EDUARDO SIQUEIRA, MD, ScD, Associate Director for Research, Mauricio Gast\u00f3n Institute of Latino Community Development and Public Policy, University of\u00a0 Massachusetts, Boston, USA<\/p>\n DR PORNCHAI SITHISARANKUL, MD, MPH, DrPH, Professor of Preventive Medicine, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand<\/p>\n PROFESSOR CRAIG SLATIN, Sc.D., MPH, Professor, Department of Community Health and Sustainability, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, Massachusetts, USA<\/p>\n PROFESSOR PETER SLY, Deputy Director, Queensland Children’s Medical Research Institute; Professor, University of Queensland; Director, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research on Children’s Environmental Health; Director, Children\u2019s Health and Environment Program, University of Queensland; Adjunct Professor, Centre for Child Health Research, University of Western Australia; Adjunct Professor, School of Public Health, Curtin University of Technology; Fellow, Collegium Ramazzini; Fellow, Royal Australasian College of Physicians; Consultant Paediatric Respiratory Physician, Royanl Chidlren\u2019s Hospital, Brisbane, Australia<\/p>\n PROFESSOR COLIN L. SOSKOLNE, PhD, Professor (Epidemiology), School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Canada; Immediate Past-President, Canadian Society for Epidemiology and Biostatistics; Fellow, American College of Epidemiology; Fellow, Collegium Ramazzini<\/p>\n DR JERRY SPIEGEL, MA, MSc, PhD, Associate Professor, School of Population and Public Health; Director, Global Health Research Program, Liu Institute for Global Issues, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada<\/p>\n DR ADEM\u00c1RIO GALV\u00c3O SP\u00cdNOLA, MD, MPH, MSc, MPhil, Doctor, Bahia, Brazil<\/p>\n DR LESLIE THOMAS STAYNER, PhD, Professor of Epidemiology, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, USA<\/p>\n DR KEN TAKAHASHI, MD, PhD, MPH, Professor of Environmental Epidemiology; Director of the International Center, UOEH; Japan President, Asian Association for Occupational Health; Acting Director of the WHO Collaborating Center for Occupational Health, IIES, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu City, Japan<\/p>\n DR TIM K. TAKARO, MD, MPH, MS, Associate Professor, Associate Dean for Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, BC, Canada<\/p>\n DR AJAY TANEJA, MSc Ph.D, Department of Chemistry, IBS,Kandhari Campus, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar University, Agra, India<\/p>\n DR BENEDETTO TERRACINI, professor of Cancer Epidemiology (retired), University of Torino, Italy<\/p>\n DR SANDRA THOMPSON, Winthrop Professor and Chair in Rural Health, University of Western Australia; Director, Combined Universities Centre for Rural Health, Australia<\/p>\n DR FERNAND TURCOTTE, MD, MPH, FRCPC, Professor Emeritus of Public Health andPreventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universit\u00e9 Laval, Qu\u00e9bec, Canada<\/p>\n PROFESSOR LOUISE VANDELAC, PH.D. Professeure titulaire, D\u00e9partement de sociologie, Directrice de l’Institut des sciences de l\u2019environnement de l\u2019Universit\u00e9 du Qu\u00e9bec \u00e0\u00a0 Montr\u00e9al (UQAM); Co-directrice de VertigO, la revue \u00e9lectronique en sciences de l’environnement, et chercheure au CINBIOSE (UQAM), au et au P\u00f4le risques Universit\u00e9 de Caen; Qu\u00e9bec, Canada<\/p>\n DR CATHY VAKIL, MD, CCFP, FCFP, Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, Canada<\/p>\n YVONNE R.K. WATERMAN, Sc.D. LL.M., The Netherlands<\/p>\n PROFESSOR ANDREW WATTERSON, Director of the Centre for Public Health and Population Health Research and Head of the Occupational and Environmental Health Research Group, University of Stirling, Scotland<\/p>\n PROFESSOR PAUL WHEATLEY-PRICE, MBChB, MRCP (UK), Assistant Professor in Medical Oncology, Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre, ON, Canada<\/p>\n PROFESSOR STEVE WING, Associate Professor of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA<\/p>\n DR ANNALEE YASSI, MD, MSc, FRCPC, Professor and Canada Research Chair, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada<\/p>\n DR JEAN ZIGBY, CCFP, FCFP, MDCM; President, Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, Canada<\/p>\n NOTE: Institutions named for identification purposes only<\/p>\n The world\u2019s leading authority on cancer, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), has confirmed that chrysotile asbestos, like other forms of asbestos, causes mesothelioma, as well as a variety of cancers. The scientific evidence is also clear that chrysotile asbestos causes asbestosis.<\/p>\n Chrysotile asbestos represents 100% of the world asbestos trade today. Over the past century, 95% of all asbestos used has been chrysotile asbestos. The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for an end to the use of all asbestos in order to prevent further epidemics of asbestos-related diseases. The WHO has particularly emphasized the importance of ending use of chrysotile asbestos in new construction materials, such as roofing and pipes. Over 50 countries have banned the use of any form of asbestos.<\/p>\n Wherever asbestos has been used, it has caused an epidemic of asbestos-related disease and death. In addition to the human tragedy, asbestos has been an economic catastrophe.<\/p>\n Because of their past use of asbestos, industrialized countries are today paying billions of dollars on health care and compensation for asbestos victims and for removal of deteriorated asbestos from buildings.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The scientific evidence is overwhelmingly clear that all asbestos is deadly and that \u201csafe use\u201d of asbestos is impossible. The world\u2019s leading health authorities have called for an end to the use of any asbestos, stating that this is the only way to prevent further tragic epidemics of asbestos-related disease and death. As part of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1430","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rightoncanada.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1430","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rightoncanada.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rightoncanada.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rightoncanada.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rightoncanada.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1430"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/rightoncanada.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1430\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1438,"href":"https:\/\/rightoncanada.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1430\/revisions\/1438"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rightoncanada.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1430"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rightoncanada.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1430"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rightoncanada.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1430"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}BACKGROUND INFORMATION<\/h3>\n