By Canadian Press

More public input needed on nuclear waste management, concerned groups say

Jun 16, 2020 | 10:52 AM

OTTAWA — Several public-interest groups are calling for a suspension of federal decision-making on radioactive waste disposal until Canada has a sufficient policy in place.

They say the federal nuclear regulator is poised to rubber-stamp documents that will entrench weak rules for future management of nuclear waste.

The Canadian Environmental Law Association and other groups told a virtual briefing today the regulatory approval would allow several controversial disposal projects to move forward.

They include a giant mound at Chalk River, Ont., entombments of shut-down reactors and a proposed underground repository for burial of nuclear fuel waste.

Speakers said the regulatory plans don’t meet international standards and could create unacceptable risks for people and the environment.

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The groups are asking the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission not to endorse the draft documents until the federal government has completed a review of radioactive-waste policy and strategy in consultation with the public and Indigenous Peoples.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 16, 2020.

The Canadian Press