August 26th, 2005

Following recent floods that have left them having to try and clean up and repair buildings and homes, Albertans have been warned that they could inadvertently end up exposing themselves to a different type of danger in the form of asbestos. This is a substance that was once commonly used for a variety of purposes in construction, and it is now a known carcinogen that can cause mesothelioma, an asbestos related cancer, as well as a number of other health issues.

Contractors have been hired to do some of the work in the area, and they have stated that people trying to do their own repairs without the necessary skills or knowledge could risk exposing themselves to asbestos. One contractor said that people really should be concerned for their safety: "I've cleaned up many, many houses that flood restoration companies have been in before us and released asbestos fibres all over."

Environmental experts have also recommended that people be very careful, and wherever possible they should hire trained and experienced contractors for their own safety. One environmental officer stated: "If you're looking for the cheapest person who undercuts everyone by half the cost, then they probably don't know what they're doing because removing asbestos is very expensive."