Baie Verte Turns Asbestos Waste Into Climate Solution

Outside Baie Verte, a tiny town on Newfoundland's jagged north shore, a poisonous heritage from history casts a long shadow. Abandoned beside the road is a 50-ton mount of asbestos mining tailings, a risk to health from an industry that once powered the local economy. Today, a pioneering venture will seek to convert this toxic trash into a weapon against climate change.

The Advocate mine, which was once among Canada's biggest asbestos producers, began operating in 1963 and remained operational for decades. Asbestos was used extensively for insulation and fireproofing materials, but when its extreme health danger became irrefutable, demand worldwide collapsed. The mine closed in 1995, leaving behind a town with lost jobs and an environmental threat too big to overlook.

Decades after, the waste from the mine remains, emitting fibers into water and air. Experts warn that rain and wind keep on dispersing asbestos fibers, threatening the health of residents. Children at times ride ATVs on top of the heaps, without knowing that they disturb miles-away-dissolvable dust. Nevertheless, Trina Barrett, a native of Baie Verte, feels the land could be used to counteract an ongoing crisis—climate change.

Barrett also co-founded BAIE Minerals, which aims to recover valuable minerals from the tailings and employ the leftover material to capture atmospheric carbon dioxide. Carbon mineralization naturally happens in some rocks, such as in rocks that are found in asbestos tailings. They trap CO2 over geological time, keeping it stored in magnesium carbonate. Researchers expect that currently available asbestos waste in Canada and the U.S. would sequester as much as 750 million tons of CO2—along with eliminating a large environmental threat.

Attempts to accelerate this natural process are picking up steam. Some firms are trying chemical treatments, mechanical mixing, or heating the rocks to speed up carbon uptake. One startup, Arca, is piloting remote-controlled equipment to agitate tailings at an Australian nickel mine, increasing their exposure to CO2. It is also working on a microwave-based process that may be able to kill toxic asbestos fibers while increasing carbon capture.

BAIE Minerals will use the same methods in extracting valuable substances such as silica and magnesium, which can be sold for purposes of cement and fertilizer. Wetting the tailings to ensure that fibers are not airborne and then extracting minerals using acid is the method that the company will use.

But not everyone is on board. Critics fear that disturbing asbestos waste would raise exposure risks, especially if the material is pulverized to enhance reactivity. Environmentalists contend that improper handling would release toxic fibers into the air, putting workers and surrounding communities at risk. Some residents are still skeptical, remembering previous reports that showed high asbestos exposure in Baie Verte but did not extend health monitoring to former miners.

In spite of all these concerns, carbon mineralization is becoming increasingly popular. There is already a pilot plant in Quebec, run by Exterra Carbon Solutions, which is processing asbestos waste to recover valuable minerals and trap carbon. The firm says its process can remove CO2 in hours, as opposed to years under natural conditions. Nevertheless, expanding these operations is costly, and it is economically viable depending on the cost of carbon removal credits.

The Canadian government is optimistic about this industry, citing its long-term growth prospects. But for Baie Verte residents, safety comes first. The town's officials are adamant that any project should be strictly monitored to avoid further health hazards. To allay community fears, BAIE Minerals will establish a demonstration site at the local college this year, demonstrating how the process can be carried out safely.

For others, such as Mick Breen, a native of Baie Verte who lost a father to asbestos disease, doubt persists. He questions whether or not BAIE Minerals possesses the technology to handle the waste without enhancing exposure risks. However, for Barrett and her team, the objective is clear: convert a toxic liability into an environmental asset while safeguarding the community's health.

While the world searches for means to decrease carbon emissions, old asbestos mines might provide a surprising answer. But whether Baie Verte's initiative works—or creates new dangers—time will tell.