On Saturday July 27th I had the privilege of joining a motorboat flotilla protest against an open-mound nuclear waste dump proposed for a Chalk River site within one kilometre of the Ottawa River. The whole flotilla included over 80 people and sailed from Sheenboro Quebec towards Chalk River. It was organized by Concerned Citizens for Renfrew County, the Old Fort William Cottagers Association, and the Petawawa Point Cottagers Association, with a few Green Party candidates in attendance. The waste dump proposal would be contracted to a consortium including SNC Lavalin and two American companies.
What was our main objection? Nuclear waste and water do not mix, and nuclear dumps should be much further away from any major source of drinking water. According to ecologist Ole Hendrickson, the “Near-Surface” Disposal Facility (NSDF) would not be compliant with the nuclear waste safety standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency. The proposed NSDF would hold radionuclides that would take millions of years to decay, including “low-level” waste that would be dangerous if ingested.
Although the project is under review by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, the commission has never yet rejected a proposal under its review. Common sense, local grassroots groups, and the experts appear to be united: having a nuclear dump near the Ottawa River is downright crazy.
Stefan Klietsch
Renfrew
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