Mesothelioma: Asbestos Disease Motivates Town Name Change in Quebec

While Canada continues to export the toxic substance asbestos, many of its citizens are trying to distance themselves from the naturally occurring mineral altogether. The popularity that once existed with asbestos is finally beginning to vanish.

Much of this can be attributed to malignant mesothelioma, which is a rare form of cancer almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure. The concern with this disease is that there are no known cures and treatment options are often ineffective after a diagnosis is made.

Recently in Quebec, the area known as Amiante (Asbestos) has changed its name to “des sources” to escape the negative reputation associated with asbestos. The regional council and chamber of commerce of the asbestos-producing town have been trying to change the name since 2005.

The town Asbestos originally received its name in 1879 with the discovery that the fibrous mineral would eventually make it prosperous. Throughout the years, the mining of asbestos paid for homes, schools and churches of all sizes.

Although the name change is a move in the right direction, others such as John Millen are in disagreement. He believes the name changes are “cosmetic” and “It’s a PR attempt to gloss over the word asbestos or amiante.”

Outside of a few negative remarks, the name-change trend is catching on, as Quebec’s place-names commission has replaced the name of the regional body MRC de L’Amiante (asbestos) with MRC des Appalaches (a mountain chain).

Area officials were looking for a more unifying name rather than being identified as a human carcinogen that causes disease. In addition, a local college and hospital has also dropped amiante from their name.

Some say the name changes are the result of the decrease in world demand for asbestos. In recent years, many of the mines have closed and the substance no longer powers the economy as it once did.

Regardless of the reason, the importance of areas in Quebec trying to improve their image could not be stressed at a better time than now, as Canada is facing scrutiny from all around the world for their continued export of asbestos.

For more information on mesothelioma, please visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 11th, 2009 at 2:29 pm and is filed under Asbestos Exposure, Mesothelioma. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS feed. Responses are currently closed, but you trackback from your own site.