TOWARDS A TRANSPARENT AND RESPONSIBLE MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE

Large quantities of radioactive waste are being transported to the Ottawa Valley threatening to contaminate the drinking water of millions of Canadians.

• The radioactive waste dump on the Ottawa River in Chalk River, Ontario
• The entombment of the nuclear reactor on the Ottawa River in Rolphton, Ontario
• The entombment of the Whiteshell nuclear reactor on the Winnipeg River in Pinawa, Manitoba

Ginette Charbonneau, spokesperson for the Coalition Against Radioactive Pollution, says that "it is irresponsible to transport all radioactive waste under federal jurisdiction to Chalk River. It is dangerous to transport waste twice. Once for temporary storage at Chalk River and a second time to its final destination."

Gordon Edwards, Ph.D., president of the Nuclear Watchdog Coalition, states that "The era of nuclear waste is just beginning. It's time to stop and think. First, we must stop moving the waste. This only doubles the costs and risks without solving the problem. Second, we must think of the need for justification, notification, and consultation, before moving any of this dangerous human-made cancer-causing material over public roads and bridges."

Jean-Pierre Finet of the Regroupement des organismes environnementaux en énergie (Coalition of Environmental Organizations on Energy) states, “We wholeheartedly support the call for a moratorium on the transport and importation of waste and the request for a strategic environmental assessment. We believe that Chalk River must cease to be our government’s nuclear waste dump.”

Under section 2 of the Nuclear Safety and Control Act (NSCA), radioactive waste in Canada is defined as any material (liquid, gaseous or solid) that contains a radioactive nuclear substance for which no further use is foreseen. In addition to containing nuclear substances, radioactive waste may also contain hazardous substances that are not radioactive, as defined in section 1 of the General Nuclear Safety and Control Regulations. All radioactive waste generated in Canada is safely managed. The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) regulates all steps in the management of radioactive waste in order to protect the health, safety and security of persons and to protect the environment.

WT reached out to Dr. Ole Hendrickson, Researcher for Concerned Citizens of Renfrew County and Area, an incorporated, non-profit organization that works for the clean-up and prevention of radioactive pollution from the nuclear industry in the Ottawa Valley.

He has prepared numerous submissions for Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission hearings.  Holding a PhD. in Ecology, he worked as a federal research scientist and biodiversity science lead until retiring in 2012 His forthcoming book The Sun Within –Atomic Energy and Life explores in depth the nuclear reactions that enable life on this planet.

 WT: Please tell our viewers about a letter that was sent to Prime Minister Carney on December 12, 2025.

Hendrickson: Bloc Quebecois Environment Critic Patrick Bonin sent the letter.  Our group was only one of many signatories.

The main points are:

Canada's federal and commercial radioactive waste should not be consolidated at Chalk River Laboratories.

See the letter here

About CNL and AECL

“Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) and Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) sites and operations are both situated on the Chalk River on the traditional land and territories of Indigenous peoples,” according to the CNL website.

A December 8, 2025 news release states: “Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) announced that it will complete the contracting process for the management and operation of Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), as part of the Government-owned, Contractor-operated model.”

As announced in June 2025, following a competitive procurement process, Nuclear Laboratory Partners of Canada Inc. (NLPC) was selected as the Preferred Bidder for the contract to manage CNL.

NLPC is a partnership with three primary American joint venture partners, BWXT Government Group, Inc.(Headquartered in Virginia); Amentum Environment & Energy, Inc.(Headquartered in Virginia); and Toronto’s Kinectrics Inc., with Battelle Memorial Institute included as key subcontractor.

WT notes that according to the WEF website Battelle is:

“A USD 7+ billion US-based applied science and technology development company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Battelle is a charitable trust organized as a non-profit corporation under the laws of the State of Ohio and is exempt from taxation because it is organized for charitable, scientific and education purposes. Originally focusing on contract research and development work in the areas of metals and material science, Battelle is now an international science and technology enterprise that explores emerging areas of science, develops and commercializes technology, and manages laboratories for customers.”

The AECL’s press release continues: “The new management will not affect ongoing work, projects and priorities of CNL, as CNL’s missions and mandate are not changing, and it continues to be responsible for operating AECL’s sites and assets.”

Stay with WATERTODAY for Part Three

It Gets Worse

WATERTODAY learned from Concerned Citizens of Renfrew County an Area that Highly radioactive commercial waste is shipped from around the world to Canada and the Chalk River Laboratories.