Asbestos Brake Ban Aims to Reduce Mesothelioma

A member of Ontario, Canada’s provincial parliament has introduced a bill that would ban the use of asbestos brake pads in an attempt to reduce the dangerous mesothelioma risk that mechanics currently face.

According to the CBC, Guelph MPP Liz Sandals introduced the bill, which would block the ability for asbestos brake pads to be imported into the province and enter the market. The law would be the first to block the use of asbestos brake pads in either the United States or Canada. Statistics Canada has found that more than $2.6 million worth of asbestos brake pads were imported into Canada in 2011.

In addition to the mesothelioma danger that asbestos brake pads can cause the drivers of vehicles they are installed in, the brake pads also can be extremely dangerous to mechanics who must change them when they are worn down and potentially releasing asbestos fibers into the air.

"Once the dust is in that general environment there's going to be things that disturb it back into the air," said Paul Demers, the director of the Occupational Cancer Research Centre. "The best idea is to get rid of asbestos-containing products."

If you or a loved one has been exposed to dangerous asbestos products and now suffer from mesothelioma, call Sokolove Law today to learn more about pursuing a mesothelioma claim.