Evidence shows that humans started using asbestos at least 4,500 years ago, but it was not until the mid-19th- century that industrial production and widespread use of this mineral started. It’s easy to see why people were attracted to asbestos: it is heat and fire-resistant, can be used as an electrical insulator, and can be utilized to produce flexible objects such as sheets, which were used extensively for insulation in the construction industry. The Canadian province of Quebec has large deposits of asbestos, which were once mined extensively over the past…
