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The Globe's weekend piece about asbestos and the dangers of exposure generated many letters, e-mails, phone calls and online comments. Some readers shared stories of losing family members to asbestos-related diseases, having difficulty navigating the workers' compensation system and being exposed to asbestos in their own workplaces and homes.

Other readers had questions. Here are some answers.

I have a family member who has an asbestos-related disease. Where can I go for more information and advice?

Mesothelioma is the leading cause of work-related deaths in Canada, as measured by accepted workers' comp claims. Yet relatively little is known about this form of cancer, which has sometimes been misdiagnosed as lung cancer. For those seeking to know more, visit the Canadian Mesothelioma Foundation website. It's important to know there are new treatment options that can prolong peoples' lives.

Other illnesses from asbestos exposure include other types of cancer such as lung cancer, along with asbestosis. More information can be found at the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, an advocacy and education group which is based in the U.S., but also works in Canada.

In Canada, Princess Margaret Cancer Care offers an early detection program and has a new treatment that extends the lives of mesothelioma patients.

More reading material can be found in the links at the end of this story.

I'm worried I may have been exposed in past years. What can I do?

It's important to know the World Health Organization and other medical experts say there is no safe level or threshold, so even shorter-term exposure to can raise the risk of getting sick. And the odds also increase, exponentially, if someone is also a smoker – so one of the best things one can do to reduce risk is stop smoking.

But there's also important context – many people have been exposed and never gotten sick. Mesothelioma cases – while rising – are still relatively rare with nowhere near the number of cases as, say, breast cancer. Some workers have toiled for years in clouds of asbestos dust, and haven't gotten sick. It seems hard to predict who gets affected and who doesn't.

If people are showing no symptoms, they can stick with their routine annual checkup with their family doctor.  Those who are higher risk — such as people who have pleural plaque or with known past asbestos exposure — could consider screening programs (Princess Margaret runs one).

If symptoms appear, such as shortness of breath, coughs or pain in the chest wall, patients should be seen by a doctor, who may refer them to a thoracic surgeon.

I'd thought Canada had long banned asbestos products. Is it true they're still being used?

Asbestos was an ingredient in thousands of products in previous decades, from modelling clay to insulation.

Canada now has stricter regulations about asbestos use than in years past – but this country never banned imports or exports. Asbestos has long been used in building materials such as roof shingles, floor tiles, insulation and textured coating on ceilings. To see more examples of where it might be in the home, check out WorkSafeBC's photos and this week's Globe Now video.

Asbestos products continue to flow into Canada, in the form of pipes and tiles, replacement brake pads and linings, friction materials, fibre jointing and even clothing (typically used in protective gear such as firefighters' suits).  A sample list of suspected asbestos-containing materials can be found here and here (these are U.S. sites) as well as here (a U.K. site). An Ontario list can be found here.

(We couldn't find a full list of brand names of products that contain asbestos, but some lawyers who represent victims with mesothelioma do have catalogues).

How prevalent is asbestos in our homes, schools, hospitals and work spaces?

Short answer – we don't know. We do know it was a common building material in Canada and in many developed nations right up until the 1990s (and in some cases, is still being used), so construction workers, contractors and do-it-yourself renovators should get materials tested by a reputable, independent lab and taking proper precautions. WorkSafeBC has advice for workers and homeowners on its site.

Saskatchewan is getting a better grasp of the presence of asbestos. The province has established a mandatory registry to alert staff and workers of where asbestos exists in public buildings.

How can I get compensation if I have an asbestos-related disease stemming from workplace exposure?

Workers' comp is a government-run system of no-fault compensation in Canada (where workers, in turn, give up their right to sue their employer for an injury).  Each province has its own system, such as this in Ontario and this in Alberta. Each site has information for workers looking to make a claim. An overview of workers' comp in Canada can be found here. As our weekend story explained, the workers comp data does not give a complete picture because claims are often not filed or are unsuccessful.

All the provinces and territories (except Quebec) have a free worker advisor service to help people navigate the system. Contact information for these services (including Office of the Worker Adviser) is available here. Many workers will also be able to get help from their unions.

In some provinces, there are legal clinics which may handle workers' compensation. In Ontario, for example, the two main ones are Injured Workers' Consultants and Industrial Accident Victims' Group of Ontario. There are also private bar lawyers and paralegals who represent the victims and families on a fee-for-service basis.

Is the Globe planning more coverage of Canada's asbestos issue?

Yes. We're looking at how asbestos products are currently being used and other follow-up ideas over the coming weeks and months. Suggestions and feedback welcome: tgrant@globeandmail.com

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