Thursday, November 8, 2001 – For immediate release
Nuclear Bill (C-27) Aimed at Waste Burial in Shield
Ottawa — Environment groups appeared before a Parliamentary Standing Committee today to urge MPs to make crucial amendments to draft legislation on nuclear fuel waste management to rein in the nuclear industry's push for burial of nuclear fuel waste in the Canadian Shield. The government crown agency, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) was mandated to develop the burial option.
The AECL concept of Shield burial was reviewed by the Seaborn environmental assessment panel which concluded that the proposal was not acceptable, and recommended that an independent agency be set up to undertake further work on management options.
Irene Kock, Sierra Club of Canada Nuclear Researcher stated:
“The government’s nuclear waste bill puts the nuclear industry in the drivers seat. Meanwhile, the industry has been promoting its favorite option for years—Canadian Shield burial—the out-of-sight, out-of-mind approach. It flies in the face of the recommendations from a ten-year environmental assessment process. Canada needs an independent agency at arms length from the nuclear industry to make progress.”
“We need a tough law that prevents nuclear waste imports and sets a schedule for phase out of nuclear waste production. Reactor site storage needs to be improved to secure the wastes for a longer term, while more time is taken to develop management options which truly protect future generations. Its the only ethical approach to take.”
The Sierra Club filed over 30 specific amendments with the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs, Northern Development and Natural Resources, which is reviewing Bill C-27 during a few short sessions. The Bill is tentatively scheduled to go back to Parliament on November 20 for third reading.
Suggested amendments include removal of the three year time limit for deciding on a nuclear fuel waste management option, and investigation of increased security measures and improved storage systems for the reactor wastes, which are currently stored at nuclear facility sites, either in water-filled pools or cement canisters.
Suggested amendments also include setting a timetable for stopping the production of nuclear fuel waste (“reduction at source” in hazardous waste lingo), and prohibiting the import of nuclear waste into Canada.
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For more information:
Irene Kock, Sierra Club of Canada - Nuclear Campaign 905-852-0571
Brennain Lloyd, Northwatch (Ontario), 705-497-0373
David Taylor, Concerned Citizens of Manitoba, 204-284-4400
Bacgrounder:
Nuclear Fuel Waste Management, November 2001
For additional information, please see:
www.sierraclub.ca/national/nuclear/