Transcript Slide 1

Remediation Challenges and Stakeholder Engagement:
A Canadian Perspective
Michael Binder
President
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Presentation to the IAEA General Conference:
Senior Regulator’s Meeting
Vienna, Austria
20 September 2012
nuclearsafety.gc.ca
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Regulates the use of nuclear energy
and materials to protect the health,
safety and security of Canadians
and the environment; and to
implement Canada’s international
commitments on the peaceful use
of nuclear energy.
Celebrating over 65 years
of nuclear safety!
IAEA General Conference: Senior Regulator’s Meeting 2012.09.20 - 2
CNSC Regulates All Nuclear-Related
Facilities and Activities
• Uranium fabricators and processing
• Nuclear power plants
• Radioactive waste management
facilities
• Nuclear substance processing
• Industrial and medical applications
• Nuclear research and educational
• Export/import control
• Mines and mills
• Uranium fuel
From cradle to grave
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Independent Commission
• Quasi-judicial
administrative tribunal
• Reports to Parliament
through Minister of Natural
Resources Canada
• Commission hearings are
public and Webcast
• Decision can only be
reviewed by Federal Court
Transparent, science-based decision-making
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The Remediation Challenge
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Clean-up of widely contaminated areas
Existing guidance: Good enough?
Canadian experience
The way ahead
Radiation monitoring at a baseball
diamond in Japan Post-Fukshima
Another important lesson from the Japan experience
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Action in Major Nuclear Accident
• Urgent and early protective actions
– Evacuation, sheltering and instructions
to take KI pills are based mainly on
averted dose
• Longer term actions
– Balance radiological risk and
social and economic disruption
– Normally involve political decisions
Police officers at a checkpoint in
Minamisoma, Japan.
Short term and long term considerations
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International Benchmarks
• International Commission on
Radiological Protection (ICRP)
• World Health Organization (WHO)
• IAEA - Basic Safety Standards (BSS)
Expert authorities need
consistent advice to
stakeholders
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Canadian Experience
• No serious accidents to date - hopefully,
none will ever happen
• Experience: clean-up of legacy sites
– Port Hope - political decision
• Uranium in soil – 23 (vs. 45) ppm
– Mine closures
• Remediation work - Gunnar and
Lorado
– Transportation – MCP Altona
– Business non-compliance, bankruptcy Enviropac
We need to be ready for any accident
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Canada - Multilayered Federal Democracy
• Multiple levels of government / layers
– Federal, provincial, municipal and operators
• Multiple players within / across each level
– Example: CNSC, Health Canada, Public Safety
Canada, emergency management organizations in
each province, etc.
Another important lesson:
coordination and communication are the key
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Canadian Regulatory Framework
• Risk assessment approach for decommissioning and
clean-up
• Need clarity on plan for post-accident recovery
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Permanent relocation or resettlement
Clean-up of buildings, soil and vegetation
Managing waste and health surveillance
Information and education of affected communities
• Collaborative work underway for improved clarity
and accountability
• Human factors always a concern
Part of our post-Fukushima Action Plan
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Constant Engagement with the Public
and Stakeholders
• Set clear requirements and challenge myths
• Science-based, plain-language
communications
• Public hearings with participant funding
• Webcasting and social media
On-going Dialogue
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Canada – Communications Lessons Learned
• Crisis Web site – information ready for an emergency
if one happens
• Spokesperson – Identified early, visible
– 24/7 media challenge
• Regulator messaging - clarity, timeliness, consistency
• Utilizing international support - i.e., IAEA
• Emergency management
– Whole of government approach
Putting learning into action
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The Way Ahead
• Clarify post-accident recovery requirements
– What is an acceptable level of risk?
– How to best explain: 1 mSv (regulatory dose limit) vs.
upper bound of 20 mSv (reference level for living on
contaminated lands after emergency)?
– Consult stakeholders
• Consistent messaging from international bodies
• Public communication is critical – let’s prepare
Regulatory clarity and stakeholder
understanding are our priorities
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Upcoming Opportunities
• International Experts Meeting on
Decommissioning and Remediation after
a Nuclear Accident
• Vienna, Austria, Jan 28-Feb 1, 2013
• Canada hosting the IAEA 3rd International
Conference on Effective Nuclear
Regulatory Systems
IAEA
• Ottawa, Canada, April 8-12, 2013
Let’s take advantage of these opportunities
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