Canada’s Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, and his government are coming under fire for their continued exportation of asbestos.

Due to serious health concerns, Canada has lessened the use of asbestos products in their own country, but continues to be the world’s second largest exporter of the dangerous substance. Canada defends that they are exporting chrysotile, which is believed to be the “safest” form of asbestos, and they are exporting it to countries that can handle the materials in a safe manner. A report that will soon be published in the U.S. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine suggests that it is “embarrassing” for Canada to claim that asbestos can be safely exported to and handled by developing countries, when developed countries have experienced difficulties with the material. The World Health Organization disagrees with Canada as well. They feel that even chrysotile is dangerous because dust and fibers from the material can still cause lung cancer.

Even more disconcerting are the claims that Harper’s government is “suppressing” a Health Canada report on the health dangers posed by asbestos and supporting exports of asbestos to developing countries. Speculation is that the suppression of the Health Canada report means the “best evaluation” of the dangers posed by asbestos will not be on the table at international meetings in Rome next week, where it is expected to defend Canada’s controversial exports of asbestos. Instead, the Harper government is expected to send a delegation to argue against putting asbestos on a United Nations watch list of dangerous substances and to defend continued asbestos exports.