Hearing on uranium moved to Holiday Inn

A hearing that was set to take place in Toronto over nuclear firm BWXT’s application to start manufacturing uranium pellets has been moved to Peterborough to ease participation for concerned neighbours.

The hearing is now scheduled for March 4 and 5 at the Holiday Inn Peterborough Waterfront.

BWXT Nuclear Energy Canada is based at the former General Electric property on Monaghan Road; it has applied for a licence to make uranium pellets, a process that is says is safe.

But Jane Scott, a local resident, believes it will have a devastating effect on human health. She’s happy the hearing is being moved to Peterborough, she wrote in an email on Friday.

“It’s crucial that people living here are able to voice their opinions about this issue,” Scott wrote.

The hearing is being conducted by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, which has received the application for a licence change from BWXT.

Currently, BWXT manufactures nuclear fuel bundles in Peterborough and assembles uranium dioxide pellets that are made in Toronto.

But the local firm’s licence expires at the end of 2020, and they’ve applied for a new licence with one change: BWXT would like to be allowed to start producing pellets at both the Toronto and the Peterborough facilities.

One local group called Citizens Against Radioactive Neighbourhoods (CARN) — which counts Scott as a member — has objections and wants to participate in the hearing.

CARN is represented by lawyer Kerrie Blaise of the Canadian Environmental Law Association in Toronto, which is a legal aid clinic.

In a letter to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, Blaise argues that the hearing should be moved to Peterborough to make it possible for CARN members to participate without having to travel.

Scott wrote this week that it seems “insane” to allow BWXT to handle loose uranium dioxide powder in a residential

neighbourhood near Prince of Wales Public School.

“Uranium is a radioactive heavy metal, dangerous on both counts.

“They won’t even allow peanut butter in that school!” she wrote.

CARN is holding a public information meeting on Dec. 3 at Prince of Wales Public School, from 7 to 9 p.m., to offer details.

Meanwhile BWXT officials have repeatedly said pelleting would pose no health risk.

At a public open house organized by BWXT at the Evinrude Centre in October, spokesperson Natalie Cutler said pelleting would emit “minuscule” levels of radiation.

Cutler said radiation levels would be no more than those emitted at the Toronto plant, “which does not cause any adverse environmental or human health impacts,” according to the findings of an environmental risk assessment conducted by a consultant and approved by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

Cutler added that there are no plans to start manufacturing pellets in Peterborough even if the licence is granted: she said BWXT is “seeking flexibility” to start manufacturing pellets here over the next decade (the licence applies for 10 years).

Anyone with an interest or expertise in the matter is still allowed to comment on the application until Jan. 27 using an online request form at cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca/eng/thecommission/intervention/. More information about BWXT’s application is posted at bwxt.com/bwxt-nec.