The petition questions the sustainability (as defined in the Auditor General Act) of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited’s plans to entomb 2 small reactors—one at the Nuclear Power Demonstration Waste Facility and another at Whiteshell Laboratories.
The petition raises concerns about the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories’ proposal to use entombment as a final decommissioning strategy. According to the petition, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission does not consider entombment to be a reasonable decommissioning strategy while the International Atomic Energy Agency’s safety requirements exclude entombment altogether. The petition asks whether the Government of Canada considers entombment to be a viable option for decommissioning Canada’s nuclear reactors.
According to the petition, the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories’ reports lack information on specific radioactive materials and their decay times, raising concerns about whether proposed institutional control periods are long enough to ensure safety. The petition alleges that institutional control periods are crucial in minimizing long‑term risks to public health and the environment. It asks whether the government will ensure that Canadian Nuclear Laboratories
- recalculates the institutional control period using a proper decay model
- develops guidance for estimating duration and costs associated with institutional controls
- considers the institutional control period when evaluating decommissioning options
The petition concludes that Canadian Nuclear Laboratories’ proposal to entomb both reactors is unsustainable.