LETTER

 

------  Canada's radioactive waste vacuum

 

The substandard Ottawa River radioactive waste dumps would never have reached the drawing board if Canada had decent radioactive waste policies and strategies.  Instead, Canada has a serious radioactive waste policy vacuum, flagged in 2017 by civil society groups in a letter to the Prime Minister and in a series of petitions to the Auditor General of Canada (#411, #418, #427.)  

Civil society groups also alerted the International Atomic Energy Agency about the policy vacuum in April 2018.  An IAEA peer review mission in 2019 confirmed that Canada lacks policies and strategies for radioactive waste and found several other serious deficiencies in Canada's nuclear safety framework.

The policy vacuum is currently being addressed, albeit with serious problems that include leadership by Natural Resources Canada -- which is responsible for "promoting" nuclear energy! Nevertheless this policy review is better than no review!

Please consider submitting comments.  Nuclear Waste Watch has done a phenomenal job of mobilizing participation in the review process. Hundreds of Canadians have already submitted comments. See this link for information on key points and principles of sound radioactive waste policies.  Comments can be sent to Natural Resources Canada at nrcan.radwastereview-examendechetsradioactifs.rncan@canada.ca. 

Lynn Jones, Concerned Citizens

Ottawa / Pembroke