That's because houses built before 1990 may have been built with a wide range of materials containing deadly asbestos and renovations can release the toxic fibre into the air. Breathing in asbestos fibres can cause lung scarring and in extreme cases a deadly form of lung cancer called mesothelioma. Left, Al Johnson, the vice-president of prevention services for WorkSafeBC, and right, Tracy Ford, the co-founder of the Asbestos Related Research, Education and Advocacy Fund. (Roshini Nair/CBC)Johnson said it is important for homeowners to exercise caution before proceeding and have a qualified professional test their house for asbestos. With files from The Early EditionTo listen to the interview, click on the link labelled Home renovations of older homes could release asbestos

Source: CBC News November 22, 2016 17:15 UTC