Officials spark backlash with concerning plan for nuclear waste: 'Will change dramatically'

Long-term plans for nuclear waste management in Canada may be hitting some bumps, according to The Conversation. 

What's happening?

A subterranean storage facility is in the works to accommodate nuclear waste from the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station by Lake Huron. Plans are currently under federal review. 

The problem is that the Deep Geological Repository's management plan only lasts 160 years, after which it will be decommissioned and abandoned. Meanwhile, the waste will remain harmfully radioactive for thousands of years. 

Engineers have selected the site for its geological stability, absence of resources, and buy-in from Indigenous groups. However, anthropologist Maxime Polleri questioned whether future generations could consent to the responsibilities and risks associated with nuclear waste. 

"The reasons communities cite to decide what risks are acceptable will change dramatically as they face new challenges," Polleri said. "The same goes for the legal or financial responsibility surrounding the project over the centuries."

Even communicating the dangers of the site that far in the future may be difficult, as language may evolve after the site is abandoned. 

This isn't the only place where Canadian nuclear waste management is facing headwinds. A new near-surface waste facility is being built in Chalk River. It's designed to house low-energy nuclear waste that's already in the area but is relying on decaying facilities. The upgraded site has raised concerns of contamination to the nearby Ottawa River.

Why is nuclear waste important?

Nuclear energy has been a major part of Ontario's grid for decades. The Bruce Nuclear Generating Station is one of the largest nuclear generators in the world. Nuclear energy helped the province become the first government in North America to phase out coal power entirely, reducing atmospheric pollution dramatically. 

Ontario is also a nuclear research hub, being the birthplace of the CANDU reactor type, which can use recycled fuel and alternative fuels such as thorium. 

What's being done about nuclear waste?

Luckily, there are options for nuclear waste besides stuffing it underground. Nuclear waste has the potential to be recycled as fuel. Such recycling is already mandated in France and could serve as a model for Canadian nuclear waste. 

Of course, building out renewable energy sources such as wind and solar can help feed the needs of the grid without the by-product of waste. 

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