SVN3M - Energy

Nuclear Waste Management

Two types of radioactive waste:

1.Low-level waste: e.g. protective clothing, tools

2.High-level waste: used fuel bundles (mostly U-238, and Pu-239)

Amount of high-level nuclear waste generated in Canada every year: about 2040 tonnes = 2.04 million kg

Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO):

federal organization responsible for long-term management of Canada’s used nuclear fuel

Nuclear Waste Storage and Disposal Methods:

  1. Wet storage and dry storage

Indoor pools, 7-10 years (wet); concrete and steel containers, indefinitely (dry)

  1. Deep geological storage :

e.g. Yucca Mountain, Arizona in USA, Deep Geologic repository (DGR) in Kincardine, Ontario

  1. Subductive disposal:

place waste at interface of 2 tectonic (continental) plates, seal waste beneath crust

  1. Vitrification:

encase in glass-like compound and bury underground

  1. Space

Proposed Method / Pros / Cons
Wet and dry storage / No new technology needed / Constant maintenance, water contamination possible
Deep geological storage / Isolated from people and surface / Earth’s crust unstable over long period
Subductive disposal / Theoretically absorbs waste into the Earth’s mantle / Subductive zones are geologically active areas (e.g. volcanoes, earthquakes)
Vitrification / Easier to dispose of than deep geological storage / Long term storage still needed
Space / Permanent disposal / Accident possibility, number of trips, cost
Reduce (i.e. stop using nuclear power) / Prevents waste from being created / Doesn’t solve problem of existing waste

Watchdog proposes radiation-fighting pills for Canadians close to nuclear plants

OTTAWA -- Canada's nuclear watchdog for the first time is proposing that people living near reactors be given a precautionary stock of radiation-fighting pills in case of an accident.

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission has been reviewing the country's emergency preparedness and response regulations in the wake of the meltdown at Japan's Fukushima reactor in 2011.

Many countries have already adopted a system where residents near nuclear reactors are given iodine thyroid blocking tablets to store in their homes.

The thyroid glands, especially in younger children, are the most susceptible to absorbing radiation that is ingested or inhaled.

The safety commission has been consulting with various groups, including environmentalists and nuclear license holders, on its latest regulatory draft. It is proposing the tablets be made available within "plume" area of radiation, of about 10 kilometres, for a selective portion of the population.

Some energy producers have expressed concern about the proposal, and have balked at the idea that a "selective" pre-distribution be undertaken for a wider area beyond the first 10 kilometres.

A nuclear safety commission document summarizing the comments lists Ontario Power Generation as wanting to delete the words "selective pre-distribution" and adding the words "the opportunity for pre-distribution...will be made" within the 10 kilometre zone.

The current draft document does not make mention of distribution tablets to Canadians outside that immediate area.

Licensees will have to collaborate with authorities to "ensure that a sufficient quantity of iodine thyroid blocking (ITB) agents is pre-distributed to all residences, businesses and institutions within the designated plume exposure zone," reads the draft.

Environmental groups such as Greenpeace and the Canadian Environmental Law Association argue the Fukushima incident proves that radiation can drift much further than just 10 kilometres. They point to other countries that have expanded their distribution areas.

"This is a good step towards catching up with other countries, Canadians deserve protection on par with international best practices," said Shawn-Patrick Stensil, a nuclear analyst with Greenpeace.

"The way it's written right now it doesn't meet international best practices, but it's a good step towards that."

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Nuclear Waste Management

Two types of radioactive waste:

1.Low-level waste:

2.High-level waste:

Amount of high-level nuclear waste generated in Canada every year:

Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO):

Nuclear Waste Storage and Disposal Methods:

1.Wet storage and dry storage

2.Deep geological storage :

3.Subductive disposal:

4.Vitrification:

5.Space

Proposed Method / Pros / Cons
Wet and dry storage
Deep geological storage
Subductive disposal
Vitrification
Space
Reduce (i.e. stop using nuclear power)