Findings on Uranium Tailings and Nuclear Waste Disposal

Publisher:  Gordon Edwards, Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility, Montreal, Canada
Year Published:  1980  
Pages:  14pp  
Resource Type:  Article
Cx Number:  CX2068

Abstract:  Complied by the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility (CCNR) in Montreal for the Miinisters of Energy and environment of the Newfoundland Government, this is a summary of recent findings on uranium tailings and reactor waste disposal. The documents cited are from governmental and non-governmental (consultants, public interest groups, etc.) sources in both the United States and Canada.

Among the findings are those of the Interum Report on Nuclear Power of the Ontario Royal Commission on Electric Power Planning (the Porter Commission). It concluded that:
- an independent review committee be established to report to the Atomic Energy Control Board (the Canadian nuclear regulatory agency) on the progress of waste disposal research and demonstration. If
the committee was not satisfied with progress by 1985, a moratorium on all futher nuclear power plants would be justified.
- uranium tailings will constitute an increasing health and environmental problem which should also be studied
by an independant review committee with the future of the nuclear program assessed in light of the committee's findings, and the progress in developing proper containment technology.

Also cited in teh CCNR document are the findings of the Ontario Ministry of Environment's status Report on Water Pollution in the Serpent River Basin which drains the Elliot Lake area. This report describes the extensive contamination of ther river system, including 18 lakes as a result of the radioactive and non-radioactive contaminants from unranium tailings. It notes that downstream from Elliot Lake, the river system is contaminated with radium to such an extent that it is unfit for human use and all fish life has been killed off.




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