Skip to Content

Long-Term Stewardship of Nuclear Waste

UPDATE 4PU: LONG-TERM STEWARDSHIP OF NUCLEAR WASTE

Whereas #1A In 1992 the National Council of Women of Canada urged the Government of Canada to establish an independent commission to investigate the safety of nuclear power as an energy source; and in 1997 NCWC updated its nuclear policy asking the Government of Canada to:

  1. reject as unsafe, the AECL “concept” for the burial of high-level nuclear wastes in the Precambrian shield; and
  2. initiate a public policy debate, with broad public consultation, on the energy future of Canada, with specific focus on the nuclear issue; and
  3. expend research moneys on a search for a safe technology to treat nuclear wastes; upgrading current nuclear-site safety; and developing alternative sources of energy; and
  4. bring Canadian radiation exposure standards into conformity with those adopted by the International Radiation Protection Association of 1991, while encouraging the Association to improve these standards even further to reflect the gender and age differences of women and children; and
  5. do all that is in its power to prevent the expansion of the nuclear industry; and

Whereas #1B In 2004 NCWC updated its nuclear policy urging the Government of Canada to:

  1. reject the Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) concept for the burial of high level radioactive waste; and
  2. initiate a broad based public policy debate on the energy future of Canada, with a specific focus on alternative sources of energy, energy efficiency, and energy conservation versus nuclear power; and
  3. make significant government expenditures on the search for a safe technology to treat nuclear waste; the upgrading of current nuclear sites and storage safety; and the development of alternative sources of energy, energy efficiency, and energy conservation; and,
  4. promote the adoption by the ICRP of standards that reflect gender, age and health, as well as long term exposures of workers and the public to low level radiation, and of the impacts of both high dose and low dose radiation on the environment. e.g. air, soil, water; and
  5. ensure that there will be a full Federal/Provincial/Territorial Environment Assessment of the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) recommendations, with allowance for intervener funding; and a full parliamentary debate, with a free vote, on the NWMO and the Environmental Assessment final recommendations; and
  6. do all that is in the government’s power to prevent the expansion of the nuclear industry in Canada, encourage the Provinces and Territories to phase out the nuclear plants at the end of their life cycle; and
  7. ban the importation of high level radioactive waste and further importation of fresh reactor fuel; and

Whereas #2 there is still no national energy policy for Canada and, enormous quantities of highly dangerous nuclear waste, much of which will last for many thousands of years, continue to be produced; and

Whereas #3 current above ground or near surface nuclear waste is safely stored at nuclear reactor sites using constant monitoring, timely stoppage of leaks, prompt retrieval in case of containment failure and periodic repackaging if necessary, as well in some cases solidification and storage; and

Whereas #4 although there are no proven safe underground nuclear storage sites in the world, and no scientific principles that can be used to forecast with confidence what will happen over such a long period of time, new plans for nuclear waste management feature its abandonment deep underground beyond human control, and/or above ground in mounds open to the elements and close to waterways; and

Whereas #5 any breakthrough of radioactive materials into water, air or land, will result in monumental health and environmental risks for present and future generations; therefore be it

Resolved #1 that the National Council of Women of Canada (NCWC) adopt as policy that nuclear waste not be abandoned, but be safely stored above ground, under human control using good stewardship practices; and be it further

Resolved #2 that NCWC urge the Government of Canada to ensure good stewardship of nuclear waste through its safe storage above ground under human control.