CANADA MUST BAN REPROCESSING
The nuclear industry refers to extracting plutonium from nuclear fuel waste as “reprocessing” or “recycling.” It is highly contaminating, practiced in only a few countries, and is linked to nuclear proliferation and nuclear weapons. Reprocessing is a dirty, dangerous distraction from real climate action.
In 2020 Canada embarked on a review of its radioactive waste policy. Hundreds of civil society organizations, Indigenous peoples and concerned Canadians engaged with Natural Resources Canada, and thousands of Canadians called for a ban on reprocessing of nuclear waste. The draft policy, released in February 2022, weakly stated that reprocessing is to be “subject to policy approval by the Government of Canada”. What policy?
Reprocessing nuclear fuel waste is a dirty and dangerous business. Reprocessing operations are the most contaminated sites in the world.
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“The history of reprocessing at Canada’s Chalk River Laboratories and other sites around the world -- Mayak in Russia, Hanford in Washington, and West Valley in New York – is one of accidents, deaths, and intractable environmental contamination. For Canadian governments to ignore this and support renewed plutonium extraction from spent fuel would be the height of irresponsibility.”
Dr. Ole Hendrickson View video HERE or click on image. |
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Send a message to the Hon. Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climage Change:
Reprocessing nuclear fuel waste is a dirty and dangerous business. Reprocessing operations are the most contaminated sites in the world. Canada must ban reprocessing irradiated nuclear fuel.
Use our newest action alert, email Minister Guilbeault a personal message at steven.guilbeault@parl.gc.ca and call his Ottawa office at 613-992-6779.
Reprocessing nuclear fuel waste is a dirty and dangerous business. Reprocessing operations are the most contaminated sites in the world. Canada must ban reprocessing irradiated nuclear fuel.
Use our newest action alert, email Minister Guilbeault a personal message at steven.guilbeault@parl.gc.ca and call his Ottawa office at 613-992-6779.
On December 15th Nuclear Waste Watch launched a campaign to formally demand that Canada includes a ban on plutonium reprocessing in its radioactive waste policy.
Canada will release its policy on managing radioactive waste in early 2023. A draft policy for public comment released in February 2022 says that "deployment of reprocessing technology... is subject to policy approval by the Government of Canada" but does not take a clear position opposing this technology.
Please join us in sending a clear message: BAN REPROCESSING IN CANADA NOW!
Canada will release its policy on managing radioactive waste in early 2023. A draft policy for public comment released in February 2022 says that "deployment of reprocessing technology... is subject to policy approval by the Government of Canada" but does not take a clear position opposing this technology.
Please join us in sending a clear message: BAN REPROCESSING IN CANADA NOW!
- Read the briefing note on Reprocessing and Environmental Contamination
- Share a "Reprocessing is a Dirty Business" post on social media
- Register for the February 28th webinar
- Call or write your MP and demand a ban on reprocessing
- Endorse the Civil Society statement
Click on an image below to view the Ban Reprocessing campaign videos
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Read our December 15 2022 news release about the campaign launch HERE.
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There has never been commercial reprocessing in Canada. The limited reprocessing done at the federal government's Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories has left a legacy of nuclear contamination.
Canada is currently reviewing its radioactive waste policy. The revised policy must include a formal prohibition on nuclear fuel waste reprocessing in Canada. |
Resources and information: Learn more about nuclear waste reprocessing and the threat of environmental contamination and nuclear proliferation.
Nuclear Waste Watch is a national alliance of groups concerned about nuclear waste in Canada. Nuclear Waste Watch has joined with our allies in the peace, women's, environmental and social justice movements to address the threat of nuclear proliferation, including through the reprocessing of nuclear fuel waste to extract plutonium.
