IS ABESTOS YET ANOTHER SACRED COW TO BE IGNORED AND WALKED AROUND?

Well I've been reading up even more this morning on the asbestos cement pipe issues in North America. My first thoughts make me wonder the wisdom of using transite (asbestos cement) pipe in Canada. Especially in Ontario and unbelievably in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Cast iron, copper, and steel pipes have their issues if not buried well below the frost line. Transite pipe is even less structurally sound and settling or heaving soil due to frost can cause major leaks. Past issues here in Elmira such as the I & I (inflow & infiltration) come to mind. Some of that was due to eavestroughs being hooked into sewage pipes and some was due to high groundwater levels infiltrating into sewage pipes through breaks and cracks in the pipe.

While the map documenting exactly where the asbestos cement pipes were originally laid makes it clear that this piping was used to deliver drinking water; a multitude of on-line articles and reports further confirm that fact. There are also reports on-line suggesting that the jury is still out in regards to the toxicity of asbestos when ingested. When breathed it is a known carcinogen. Other studies and experts on-line feel that the evidence is clear that asbestos does cause internal injury to human beings when ingested and as well when asbestos contaminated water is used to launder clothes. The asbestos fibres end up on the clothes and are then available to be inhaled.

What is also unfortunate is that according to some sources water utilities will deny any risk whatsoever through ingestion for fear of liability. Oh my: Lie to the public in order to save them massive tax increases to pay for lawsuits filed by those very same people.

Johns Manville attempted to rectify the problem of asbestos fibres getting into the drinking water by spraying a vinyl liner inside asbestos pipe. Much later they determined that tetrachloroethylene (PCE), an animal carcinogen at least, was leaching into the drinking water from the vinyl liner at measurable concentrations.

Other on-line reports suggest that the Canadian government is in a conflict of interest position in minimizing the risks of asbestos whatever the exposure route. This has to do with major economic benefits historically in Quebec due to asbestos mining. I believe that Asbestos, Quebec is named for their local deposits of the material.

Regardless there is a principle in environmental stewardship known as the "Precautionary Principle". When in doubt as to the safety of an item or product then assume the worst until it is proven innocent. If the item (eg. asbestos cement pipe) can not be proven to be safe then it has no business being manufactured and installed anywhere.