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The citizen's dialogues and the
resulting report (see below) have been based on the assumption that the
used fuel containers will last 50 years and then leak out harmful radioactivity
that will contaminate the environment and jeopardize everyone's
health.
In the Foreword, on Page iv, we have the
words: "The bundles are placed into highly
secured containers which are designed to last at least 50 years. While these
containers can be replaced or upgraded, they were not built with the intention
of providing storage for the very long term. The used fuel itself will remain
hazardous for thousands of years."
I sent the NWMO several submissions pointing
out that these containers will last thousands of year, that only 1% of the
fission energy has been released in our CANDU reactors, and that our great
grandchildren will recycle this used fuel in advanced reactors to release the
remaining 99% of the energy from this enormous resource. I explained
this orally in the dialogue session that was held at the IYGN Congress
in Toronto (on May 12). It did not register with the people who
were running the dialogue. They kept on telling the public that the
containers will last only 50 years and that they will be faced with a monumental
problem of what to do with the waste.
Ted Rockwell and I visited the used fuel storage
facility at Pickering NGS about ten years ago. We examined the
containers carefully -- the steel plate lining, the thick reinforced
concrete walls, the outer steel plate covering. We watched how the
containers were double-seal welded, weld inspected, evacuated dry, helium leak
tested, backfilled with helium gas, and how the outer steel surface was
covered with a special paint. We assessed that these containers,
filled with used fuel, would remain in good condition for thousands of
years.
Why we are telling the public that the containers
will last only 50 years? This is creating inappropriate anxiety.
Jerry
----- Original Message -----
From: SDoucet@nwmo.ca
Sent: Thursday, August 26, 2004 10:08 AM
Subject: NWMO & CPRN Announce Results of National Deliberative
Dialogue on the Future of Canada's Used Nuclear Fuel
CRM:{EEF60F5E-22E8-420B-840F-0179474C9D2F}:MRC The NWMO
is pleased to make available Responsible
Action, a report of a National Citizens’ Dialogue on the long-term
management of --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- La SGDN a le plaisir de publier Agissons de façon responsable, un rapport sur le dialogue national avec les citoyens sur la gestion à long terme du combustible nucléaire irradié du Canada. On y décrit les valeurs que les Canadiens considèrent importantes et qui devraient guider les décisions sur le choix d’une solution de gestion. Il est disponible sur le site Web de NWMO à http://www.nwmo.ca |