A complaint by a resident north of Toronto and the GTA underscores the way asbestos was once used – virtually anywhere in residential and industrial construction, and also in public infrastructure. Asbestos + asphalt Specifically, the complaint comes from Barrie, Ontario, and involves a street that residents claim is in a state of disrepair. One resident has gone public with claims that the crumbling street, which sports a large pothole, contains asbestos. Asbestos in asphalt, you say? Asphalt was mixed with asbestos for a variety of reasons. Asbestos has many qualities that asphalt d ..read more

When asbestos was king of construction materials, you might find it in any one of more than 3,000 products from floor to ceiling. Most of the time, asbestos was mixed with other materials to create ACM (asbestos containing materials). Water Systems Asbestos and ACM, however, weren’t only used in residential and commercial construction. It was also used in public waterworks. Asbestos was mixed with concrete to make durable pipes. Since the mineral is water resistant as well as fire resistant, it seemed like a great idea…at the time. Since then, as the dangers of asbestos have been reveal ..read more

City hall in St. Catharines, a small city in the Niagara peninsula just southwest of the GTA, is renovating, and dealing with a common issue in older buildings: asbestos in flooring. Here’s the situation: Glue underneath laminate flooring had deteriorated, causing the tiles to bubble up. The floor tiles contain asbestos, which is now crumbling along with the tiles. Asbestos containing materials (ACM) At one time, asbestos was found in more than 3,000 products used in residential and industrial construction. But, except in specific cases, asbestos was not used in its pure form. It was mos ..read more

BCCSA – the British Columbia Construction Safety Alliance – has launched a new online course about working with asbestos that is a first in Canada. The system will be launched later this year. Asbestos expertise At GreenStream, we have been in the asbestos removal business for decades, and our experienced technicians are trained, and constantly upgrading their skills and knowledge as new techniques become available. But, we also recognize that the asbestos removal industry, as long as it remains unregulated, has seen its share of bad apples. The course is designed to educate anyone worki ..read more

What’s it like to work around asbestos? That’s something the custodial workers in Ontario’s schools are worried about. Asbestos in schools When it comes to aging public buildings – of which Toronto and the GTA have more than a few – the options are often dictated by tight budgets. But, that shouldn’t mean that people have to work in dangerous conditions. Custodial workers at Ontario schools have come together to voice their concerns. They claim asbestos containing materials (ACM) is not properly contained and managed; They also claim that their training in how to work around ACM has ..read more

Just west of Toronto and the GTA, some apartment dwellers got an early Christmas present: asbestos free apartments. In October 2019, many residents of the CityHousing highrise in Hamilton, Ontario had to move out of their apartments and relocate – many of them elsewhere in the same building – after asbestos was discovered. Where did they find asbestos? In the ceiling. A resident said it looked like “peeling paint”. Many of the apartments had water damaged ceilings. When the work began to replace the damage, asbestos was discovered. The apartments were emptied in October, with reside ..read more

The Canadian Mesothelioma Foundation (CMF) recently released a statement. “Asbestos-related diseases are by far the number one cause of death in the workplace. Mesothelioma is almost exclusively linked to exposure to asbestos. Yet many of us have never heard of it.” It’s a situation that the organization would like to change. Many cases of asbestos exposure can be avoided with the right information and precautions. From workplace to home There’s a good reason why asbestos related disease and even death are linked to exposure at work. Certain industries and trades, in particular, bring ..read more

A recent landlord/tenant dispute highlights the dangers of asbestos and flooding. In a case that occurred in Calgary, Alberta, a tenant faced eviction after withholding the rent from their apartment. Their reason? Flooding (four times in 16 months) and asbestos floor tiles. We can’t comment on the rent dispute. But, we can underscore the dangerous combination of flooding and asbestos. Asbestos – the flood risk Asbestos isn’t necessarily the first issue that might come to mind when you think of a flood. However, with weather – and precipitation – so unpredictable in Toronto and the GTA ..read more

In late 2018, the Canadian federal government finally did the right thing, and put the asbestos ban into effect. For most of the 20th century, and now into the 21st, asbestos continues to be a public health hazard, and a leading cause of workplace deaths. Beyond the ban: Prevention Many health and safety experts are now calling on the federal government for a comprehensive prevention strategy to deal with the legacy of asbestos in both public and private buildings. Some measures have been taken on the provincial level, including Saskatchewan, which has taken a leading role in this field ..read more

It’s been an eventful few years when it comes to the situation with asbestos, and asbestos legislation, in Canada. It was about a year ago that the national asbestos ban was finalized. In Quebec, “eventful” might translate to “a roller coaster ride”. Once one of the world’s leading suppliers of asbestos, the province is now dealing with the aftermath of that industry. Asbestos waste Recently, the Quebec government asked BAPE, the Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement, (an environmental watchdog, ) to investigate the current situation. That investigation will focus on scientifi ..read more