Nuclear Waste Watch / Action déchets nucléaires est un réseau national d'organisations canadiennes préoccupées par les déchets radioactifs de haute activité et l'énergie nucléaire.
Nuclear Waste Watch / Action déchets nucléaires is a national network of Canadian organizations concerned about high level radioactive waste and nuclear power.
Nuclear Waste Watch / Action déchets nucléaires is a national network of Canadian organizations concerned about high level radioactive waste and nuclear power.
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For actions, resources and information related to nuclear and climate issues in the April 2025 Election
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MINISTER ENDORSES THE NUCLEAR INDUSTRY'S "STRATEGY" ON RADIOACTIVE WASTE, GIVES NWMO GREEN LIGHT FOR NEXT FIVE YEARS
With the astounding rationale that the challenges of radioactive waste "pale in comparison to the pollution produced by unabated high-carbon power production", federal minister of Natural Resources Jonathon Wilkinson has endorsed the Nuclear Waste Management Organization's "strategy" for the long term management of intermediate and low level radioactive wastes. Within minutes of the announcement, the NWMO had released their own statement, basking in their achievements. Civil society organizations have vigorously opposed the nuclear industry being given the lead in developing the radioactive waste management strategy, and had full expected the Minister to engage with Canadians and Indigenous people in his review of the draft strategy submitted to him by the NWMO in June. He did not.
With the astounding rationale that the challenges of radioactive waste "pale in comparison to the pollution produced by unabated high-carbon power production", federal minister of Natural Resources Jonathon Wilkinson has endorsed the Nuclear Waste Management Organization's "strategy" for the long term management of intermediate and low level radioactive wastes. Within minutes of the announcement, the NWMO had released their own statement, basking in their achievements. Civil society organizations have vigorously opposed the nuclear industry being given the lead in developing the radioactive waste management strategy, and had full expected the Minister to engage with Canadians and Indigenous people in his review of the draft strategy submitted to him by the NWMO in June. He did not.
Nuclear experts raise new concerns about industry-led policy proposals to separate plutonium in Canada
Les experts nucléaires expriment de nouvelles inquiétudes au sujet d'un projet de politique visant à autoriser la séparation du plutonium au Canada
News Release / Communiqué - 25 September 2023 HERE / ICI
Les experts nucléaires expriment de nouvelles inquiétudes au sujet d'un projet de politique visant à autoriser la séparation du plutonium au Canada
News Release / Communiqué - 25 September 2023 HERE / ICI
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JULY 12, 2023
JULY 12, 2023
Civil Society Groups Call for Public Debate on Radioactive Waste Management Strategy
Ottawa - Civil society organizations are calling on Natural Resources Minister Jonathon Wilkinson to honour commitments made by his predecessor Seamus O’Regan to engage with Canadians on appropriate strategies for the management of radioactive waste rather than simply rubber stamping the nuclear industry’s recommended approach.
Media release is HERE Letter to Minister of Natural Resources and Prime Minister is HERE
Media release is HERE Letter to Minister of Natural Resources and Prime Minister is HERE
MEDIA RELEASE
3 April 2023
3 April 2023
Civil Society Groups Reject Canada’s Radioactive Waste Policy
Ottawa – Civil society groups are expressing profound disappointment in the federal government’s recently released radioactive waste policy, after Natural Resources Canada quietly posted the final policy to a government website on Friday morning.
Organizations who were intensively engaged in the policy development process between November 2020 and May 2022 are calling the policy a handover to the nuclear industry and say it fails to meet international standards or the public’s expectations.
“It is a fundamental failure. It leaves the industry in charge and the public and the environment at risk. This policy is a betrayal of science and public trust," said Dr. Ole Hendrickson, for the Sierra Club Canada Foundation.
SEE NUCLEAR WASTE WATCH RELEASE HERE. Canadian Environmental Law Association release is HERE
Click on Policy for Radioactive Waste and Decommissioning (the Policy), March 2023 for the final policy.
Organizations who were intensively engaged in the policy development process between November 2020 and May 2022 are calling the policy a handover to the nuclear industry and say it fails to meet international standards or the public’s expectations.
“It is a fundamental failure. It leaves the industry in charge and the public and the environment at risk. This policy is a betrayal of science and public trust," said Dr. Ole Hendrickson, for the Sierra Club Canada Foundation.
SEE NUCLEAR WASTE WATCH RELEASE HERE. Canadian Environmental Law Association release is HERE
Click on Policy for Radioactive Waste and Decommissioning (the Policy), March 2023 for the final policy.
Nuclear Waste Watch has launched a campaign to have a ban on the reprocessing of nuclear fuel waste included in Canada's radioactive waste policy. Join us. Visit our dedicated web page at reprocessing.ca
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In November 2020 Natural Resources Canada launched a review of Canada's Radioactive Waste Policy. Hundreds of Canadians and Canadian civil society organizations partcipated in a series of roundtable discussions with Natural Resources Canada and thousands submitted comments. In February 2022 Natural Resources Canada released a draft of their radioactive waste policy and thousands of comments were received by the April deadline. In April a national collaborative of public interest groups released "An Alternative Policy for Canada on Radioactive Waste Management and Decommissioning." Read more HERE In late 2022 Natural Resources Canada stated that the release of the final Radioactive Waste Policy would be delayed until 2023. |
December 2022 - Nuclear Waste Watch has produced an analysis of radioactive waste reports released by the House of Commons Environment Committee and by the Office of the Auditor General in the fall of 2022. Read the analysis HERE
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About Nuclear Waste in Canada
Nuclear waste is generated at every stage of the nuclear fuel chain. Low-level radioactive wastes are generated during the mining, milling and refining of uranium, and in the fabrication of uranium fuel bundles for nuclear power production. Low, intermediate and high level radioactive wastes are generated through the production of electricity using nuclear reactors. "Intermediate" level radioactive waste is highly radioactive, but in Canada only the irradiated fuel - also called nuclear fuel waste - is called "high level" waste. There are currently proposals by the nuclear industry for deep geological repositories for low and intermediate level radioactive wastes and for high level nuclear fuel waste.
Nuclear Waste Watch's Position Statement summarizes our concerns and key issues, and our list of Participating Organizations tells you who we are.
Nuclear waste is generated at every stage of the nuclear fuel chain. Low-level radioactive wastes are generated during the mining, milling and refining of uranium, and in the fabrication of uranium fuel bundles for nuclear power production. Low, intermediate and high level radioactive wastes are generated through the production of electricity using nuclear reactors. "Intermediate" level radioactive waste is highly radioactive, but in Canada only the irradiated fuel - also called nuclear fuel waste - is called "high level" waste. There are currently proposals by the nuclear industry for deep geological repositories for low and intermediate level radioactive wastes and for high level nuclear fuel waste.
Nuclear Waste Watch's Position Statement summarizes our concerns and key issues, and our list of Participating Organizations tells you who we are.
