GLIN==> Coalition Calls for the Halt of Radioactive Steam Generator Shipment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Release

Great Lakes United

August 18, 2010

 

 

Coalition Calls for the Halt of Radioactive Steam Generator Shipment

 

OTTAWA, ON & BUFFALO, NY - In a letter to U.S., Canadian, and Indigenous
leaders last week, Great Lakes United called for a halt to the planned
shipment of 1700 metric tonnes of radioactive waste through the Great Lakes
and the Saint Lawrence River later this year.

 

This fall, Bruce Power plans to ship 16 radioactive steam generators from
Owen Sound, Ontario to a Studsvik facility in Sweden. Each generator weighs
110 metric tonnes and contains over 50 trillion becquerels of long-lived
man-made radioactive materials, including five isotopes of plutonium. In
Sweden, Studsvik plans to melt up to 90 percent of the radiation-laced metal
and sell it as "clean" scrap intended for unrestricted use.

 

"We don't want to see consignments of radioactive waste from old nuclear
reactors crossing the Great Lakes without prior notification to
municipalities and proper community consultation," said Derek Stack,
Executive Director of Great Lakes United. "These shipments will establish a
dangerous precedent."

 

Over 60 NGOs have signed a petition opposing the shipments. Last week Great
Lakes United sent a copy of the petition along with a letter to leaders on
both sides of the border asking them to use their authority to stop these
shipments.

 

"In a 2005 Environmental Impact Assessment, Bruce Power said these steam
generators were radioactive waste and would be stored permanently on-site,
so there is already an alternative plan which has been approved; the
shipments are completely unnecessary," said Gordon Edwards, Ph.D., President
of the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility.

 

In Canada, Great Lakes United's letter was sent to the Prime Minister of
Canada, the Premiers of Ontario and Quebec, and officials of the Chiefs of
Ontario. In the United States , the letter went to President Obama and
Secretary of State Clinton, the Secretaries of the Environmental Protection
Agency and Department of Transportation, and officials of the National
Congress of American Indians. The letter was also sent to the chairs of the
International Joint Commission.

 

Kay Cumbow with Michigan-based Citizens for Alternative to Chemical
Contamination said, "We have to act now to safeguard our precious waterways
for future generations."

 

Bowing to public pressure, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission recently
agreed to a one-day public hearing in Ottawa on September 29 on this issue.
Intervenors may give oral or written submissions; they must notify the CNSC
of their intentions by September 13.  Below is a link to register.

 

Register for the public hearing:

http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/commission/pdf/2010-09-29-Notice-2010-H-0
9-BrucePower-SteamGenerators-Edocs3588493-e.pdf

 

Background:

www.glu.org/en/campaigns/energy/nuclear/steam-generators

 

Contacts:

 

Derek Stack

Great Lakes United

613-797-9532

drstack at glu.org 

 

Gordon Edwards

Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility

514-839-7214

ccnr at web.ca 

 

Kay Cumbow

Citizens for Alternative to Chemical Contamination 

810-346-4513

KCumbow at greatlakes.net 

 

Michael Keegan

Coalition for a Nuclear Free Great Lakes

734-770-1441

mkeeganj at comcast.net 

 

 

 

_________________________________________________________
Brent Gibson
Director, Communications
Great Lakes United
613-482-1324 x509
 <mailto:bgibson at glu.org> bgibson at glu.org |  <http://www.glu.org>
www.glu.org

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Represented by UAW Local 55

 

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