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Asbestos, Quebec: In Search of a New Name, or Is It?

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Asbestos, Quebec, Canada – In search of a new name to replace the one that once proclaimed the town’s pride as a well-known global exporter of asbestos. For 141 years, since the opening of the Jeffrey Mine in 1879, the town based its identity on asbestos. By the 1970s and 1980s, this fame began turning against the town. The dangers of asbestos became known, leading to problems enticing businesses to relocate to Asbestos. Fewer tourists wanted to visit for a tour of the mine.

In search of a new name for Asbestos, Quebec?

In 2006, changing the name of the town was first suggested to the citizens. The idea was rejected by many since memories of the good days were still fresh. But, in 2019, the mayor said the town no longer had a choice. Companies did not want the name Asbestos associated with them or their products. The mines closed in 2011, leaving an economic hole that needed filling.  

Finalists for the new name

Originally, a new name was scheduled for May of 2020, but the process has not gone smoothly. There are requirements for a name change, including:

• a reflection of the area or people,

• it must be in French,

• it cannot be the name of a saint or other person.

Hundreds of suggestions came in and, of those, the municipal council chose four. When the names were revealed, this town, with a population of 7,096, was not pleased. The names and associated complaints:

Apalone – a local species of turtle

A common comment stated there is no pride in living in a soft turtle city.

Jeffrey – for W.H. Jeffrey, the namesake of the Jeffrey asbestos mine

Critics say this still ties the town to asbestos and the leaders indirectly tied to the deaths of many workers. One requirement stated no names of persons.

Phénix – the mythical bird who arose from flames to begin anew

This has no connection to local history.

Trois-Lacs –  a local lake

While the name sounds inviting, it is known as one of the worst lakes in Quebec.

The voting

The mayor, Hugues Grimard, issued a statement, “I am very happy with the approach we have adopted throughout the process and especially with the involvement of our population. I invite our citizens to come and vote in large numbers!”

However, on September 16, the general manager for Asbestos, Quebec, Georges-Andre Gagne, tried to quell the conflict saying, ”some people have expressed their disagreement with the names proposed” and called for a constructive and respectful debate.

The strife is such that some citizens want to keep the name Asbestos, even though it is the name of a toxic and sometimes deadly mineral. Asbestos can cause lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma – a deadly form of cancer.

One citizen, Alexandre Cote, wrote on Facebook, “Honestly, it’s a setup to get Trois-Lacs! The rest of the names are really awful.” His comment joined the many who just said, “ridiculous!!”

The search of a new name will hopefully be settled when voted on between October 14 and 18 by citizens over 14.

Read Before Removing A Popcorn Ceiling

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Removing a popcorn ceiling is one of the first thing a DIYer does to update a home built between the 1950s and 1978. It’s a messy job, but beyond that, it creates a likely danger to the remodeler and anyone who will live in the home.

Several products used to build homes before 1978 contained asbestos, a mineral used for many reasons. It is fire resistant, easily molded into shapes, has insulating properties and seemed to be an almost perfect addition to many building materials. Popcorn ceilings, tape & bed joint compound, shingles, and textures for walls and ceilings were all popular. Asbestos-containing drywall patching compounds were banned in 1977 by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

Work that disturbs any potential asbestos materials can lead to serious diseases, such as lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma – a fatal disease that is only acquired through asbestos exposure. If the structure was built in 1978 or earlier, even 1980 to be safe, any suspicion of asbestos needs to be tested by a professional. It cannot be discerned by a visual inspection.

Why is testing so important?

Asbestos is comprised of microscopic fibers that, when disturbed, can be inhaled. These fibers can remain in the lungs for decades before showing up as a health disaster. Anyone in the vicinity of the fiber dust is susceptible to these diseases. It can circulate through air ducts, land on furniture and clothing, or carpets – anywhere the air takes it.

Testing is not expensive and results can be found within days. It is worth the time and expense to avoid a deadly disease.

What to do when removing a popcorn ceiling

The good news is that undisturbed popcorn ceilings and other asbestos materials are harmless until they are disturbed by deterioration, scraping, sawing, drilling, or any action that releases the fibers. Removing a popcorn ceiling is not a DIY project if it is shown to contain asbestos. That is when a professional and certified asbestos abatement company is required. Many people and contractors are willing to take a risk, but it is a serious and potentially deadly gamble. There is no safe level of exposure to asbestos. The CPSC gives four points to consider:

  • Asbestos is impossible for a consumer to identify without a microscope.      
  • It is not possible to know the exact degree of risk with any low-level exposure.
  • The product is not the problem, it is the release of respirable fibers.
  • Specially trained people are necessary for any removal of asbestos. An untrained person can create more of a hazard than it eliminates.

The bottom line

Asbestos is dangerous when disturbed in any way. Most countries throughout the world have banned its use. The U.S. is one of the few developed countries that has not completely banned the mineral. Removing popcorn ceilings is only one of many threats to health. If you are concerned about this danger that continues to exist, contact you senators, congress persons, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Once a ban is issued, there will still be asbestos in our environment into the next century.  We can make a difference, but only if we care enough to contact those who can add us to the list of countries banning asbestos totally.

Louisiana Asbestos Abatement Inspector Pleads Guilty

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The U.S. Attorney in New Orleans says a contractor has plead guilty to a theft charge for defrauding a Louisiana school system out of more than $200,000.   Federal prosecutors alleged that from 2015 to 2017, a Louisiana asbestos abatement inspector submitted false asbestos reports to Louisiana’s Terrebonne Parish School Board (TPSB.) The charges alleged that not only were lab reports faked, but the signature of an accredited asbestos inspector was forged.

Filing false asbestos reports is a federal crime

Prosecutors alleged this is not the first time he falsified documents. In 2013, the same individual received 12 months’ probation and was required to pay $3,040. to the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and a $100 fine when he plead guilty to falsifying documents provided to the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ.)

When the 12 months of probation were completed, the defendant began contracting work for the TPSB. Federal charges allege that fabricated asbestos laboratory reports were filed for fees totaling approximately $212,618.26. These funds came in part from federal funds provided to the TPSB.

A sentencing hearing is set for December 16, 2020..

Why is this crime important?

If the reports were falsified, that means for at least two years testing was not performed at schools in Terrebonne Parish. Many older school buildings have at least some asbestos – ceiling tiles, insulation, mastic and more. Left undisturbed, these products do not pose a health hazard. But, if there is remodeling or repair, fibers can be released into the air leading to inhalation.

There is no safe level of asbestos exposure. Over two years, there was a potential for work which disturbed existing asbestos containing products. Improper asbestos abatement with no air monitoring is dangerous and creates a health risk.  There is no safe level of exposure to asbestos and even low level exposures can increase the risk for development of mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis.

What can you do to prevent false asbestos abatement reports?

Whether responsible for a school district, business, or your own home, check credentials of anyone monitoring, abating, or working on a building that possibly has asbestos. Any building built before 1980 should be tested for the presence of asbestos-containing materials before major remodeling or demolition work.

Cancer Diagnoses Declining as COVID-19 Fears Rise

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Generally, to find cancer diagnoses declining would be good news, but this decline is due to fewer people willing to risk COVID-19 for a doctor visit. Six common cancers and their diagnoses were studied: breast, colorectal, lung, pancreatic, gastric and esophageal. A 46% decrease was found between March 1 and April 18 – the same time period the public was warned to stay away from doctors’ offices and emergency departments unless it was a true emergency.

safe doctor office practices to change cancer diagnoses declining

Since that time, safety procedures were put in place that lessened worry about these visits. Even though the warnings about visits are much fewer, the initial fear of visits – leading to diagnoses – are still less than pre-Pandemic.

How was the study conducted?

Quest analyzed tests ordered by doctors who entered the code for ‘new cancer diagnosis’. They began with a baseline covering January 2019 through February 2020. In the following seven weeks, March 1 through April 18, the mean weekly number for all six types of cancer diagnoses decreased 46.4% for those newly diagnosed with cancer. Quest found that in the baseline and pandemic studies, women with a mean age of 66 comprised 75% of their patients.

What does cancer diagnoses declining mean to patients?

Ned Sharpless, director of the National Cancer Institiute, stated this delay of diagnoses could mean 10,000 unnecessary deaths from breast and colorectal cancer over the next ten years. He also said, “We’re very worried about the consequences of … delaying therapy on our patients. We can’t delay cancer care forever.” This could be trading the COVID-19 crisis for a late cancer diagnosis crisis. The United States now has 163, 651 deaths from COVID-19 as of August 11, 2020. This is a huge number.

Other effects of COVID-19

The purpose of the National Syndromic Surveillance Program (NSSP) is to collect electronic health data in real time. They found that visits to emergency departments declined by 42% comparing March 31 – April 27, 2019  to March 29 – April 25, 2020.  This data covered visits from a subset of hospitals in 47 states. This led to acquiring data from approximately 73% of emergency department visits in the United States.

This demonstrates that patients afraid of going to the doctor’s office, also were slow to go to the emergency room. A person with arm or chest pain may decide it’s better to wait and see what happens than go to the emergency room, leading to a potential heart attack. Visits for nonspecific chest pain decreased by over 24,000 during the early pandemic.

They may try to ignore a severe headache and treat with OTC remedies when it could be a treatable stroke. They also may hesitate to go with abdominal pain, musculoskeletal pain, high blood pressure, and nausea and vomiting, respiratory infections – as well as sprains and strains. While some of these might be minor, others could lead to serious illness or death.

Those who use emergency departments as their primary healthcare – usually because of lack of access to primary care – may be significantly affected, leading to avoidance of their normal safety net.

What to do?

Authorities, and the media, must stress doctor visits, regular checkups and needed tests are still necessary to stop the number of cancer diagnoses declining. They must also reassure the public that health facilities have guidelines in place for monitoring entrance to facilities, mandatory face masks, and social distancing. All facilities need frequent access to approved hand sanitizers and hand washing stations. Good use of phone and video calls for triage can quickly assess emergency situations and limit crowds. For those afraid that telemedicine may not be covered with their insurance, check with providers. Currently, because of the emergency status, most insurances are paying as if in-person. In most cases, that also includes Medicare.

While COVID-19 is serious and can be deadly, so can ignoring early detection of cancer and other health risks.

Cancer diagnoses declining is the canary in the mine warning everyone that this is not a time to neglect health care.

Johnson & Johnson Discontinue Talc-Based Baby Powder

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After producing baby powder since 1894, Johnson & Johnson will discontinue talc-based baby powder in the United States and Canada. Years of charges their baby powder contained traces of asbestos brought lawsuits and public distrust. J&J suffered a loss in market value along with lessening sales. In 1980, J&J began selling a cornstarch version of the powder in response to the criticism. They will continue to market that product.

The connection between asbestos and talc

Talc is a mineral mined underground, as is asbestos. They are often found in close proximity to each other. The problem occurs because they can be mingled in the mining process.

Asbestos in any amount is not safe. For some women, the continual use over time led to ovarian cancer and for others, mesothelioma, a fatal disease.

Why are there lawsuits?

A congressional investigation uncovered internal documents showing Johnson & Johnson knew for over 50 years their baby powder contained asbestos. This knowledge was not passed on to consumers. Juries in many cases found Johnson & Johnson guilty, awarding large amounts to the plaintiffs. Testing found asbestos in many of the samples. However, Johnson & Johnson testified their testing did not find any trace in the same samples.

Though the product was marketed toward babies, most baby powder was purchased for adult women. As of this March, Johnson & Johnson had 19,400 lawsuits pending which involved the talc baby powder.

J&J decision to discontinue talc-based baby powder

Even as they announced the discontinuation, J&J stood by their assertion that there is no asbestos in their talc. They cite lessening sales caused by misinformation and litigation advertising. It appears they determined the best course for the brand was to remove this baby powder from their lineup of products.

__________

In a statement, J&J said it “remains steadfastly confident in the safety of talc-based Johnson’s Baby Powder.”

Linda Reinstein, president of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Association, published this remark, “Americans should be able to trust they are safe from asbestos. Johnson & Johnson spent decades misleading the public to think their often asbestos-contaminate baby powder was safe when they knew it was not. Today’s announcement that they will stop selling this potentially deadly product is a victory for public health. A small and influential group of chemical companies in America still rely on asbestos and have stood in the way of a national ban of this deadly substance. We can’t wait for them to follow J&J and see the error of their ways. Congress must pass the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act (ARBAN) and ban asbestos once and for all.”