Assessing effectiveness of regulation of asbestos and asbestos cement pipes in Canada

Petition: 470

Issue(s): Human/environmental health; Toxic substances; Transport; Waste management; Water

Petitioner(s): Canadian organizations

Petitioner location(s): Dunrobin, Ontario; Toronto, Ontario

Date received: 12 October 2022

Status: Completed—Response(s) to petition received

Summary: The petition seeks to determine if the current regulation of asbestos and pipes containing asbestos prevents harm to Canadians’ health. The petition states that asbestos exposure has been linked to asbestosis and a number of cancers and that asbestos cement pipes are still in use in several drinking water distribution systems across Canada even though their use was banned in 2018.

The petition asks whether the federal government has evaluated how effectively harm from asbestos is being prevented in Canada according to the Prohibition of Asbestos and Products Containing Asbestos Regulations. Additionally, the petition asks for information on the exemptions for asbestos use and on the progress made to phase out asbestos use, the support being offered to industries that are transitioning to non-asbestos technology, and the replacement technologies being considered and their risks. The petition asks about how the government monitors and reports the current use of asbestos and whether the remaining exceptions will be phased out.

The petition requests details about the ongoing monitoring of pipes and of the drinking water quality across Canada. The petition asks how often asbestos gets into drinking water from asbestos cement pipes, how it is detected and corrected, and what steps are being taken to protect the health of workers, individuals, and the environment when asbestos cement pipes are replaced. The petition asks what steps have been taken to track and address remaining raw asbestos stockpiles, asbestos mining waste, and products containing asbestos in Canada. The petition also inquires if public transparency is being encouraged in the management of asbestos.

The petition asks whether the federal government has studied water as a source of exposure to asbestos. It also asks whether the absence of a maximum allowable concentration of asbestos fibres in the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality aligns with the precautionary principle as outlined in the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, and whether a maximum allowable concentration of asbestos fibres will be established in Canada.

The petition asks why more asbestos cement pipes were installed in Western Canada than elsewhere in Canada, and it requests a status of asbestos cement pipes in use across Canada. It further asks whether Canada’s National Infrastructure Assessment will collect updated data on the amount, condition, and location of these pipes since the last federal review in 1977.

The petition indicates that waste containing asbestos can be exported to countries without their informed consent and could end up in jurisdictions without enough legislation to protect workers and the public from exposure to asbestos. It asks whether asbestos cement pipes are being exported to other jurisdictions for disposal and whether there are screening processes in place for their movement.

Federal departments/organizations responsible for reply: Environment and Climate Change Canada; Health Canada; Infrastructure Canada; Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada; Public Services and Procurement Canada; Transport Canada