The nuclear industry in Canada is growing rapidly, but the wastes, which can affect the environment and humans’ health greatly, are creating problems for the government.

The American Natural Resources Defense Council’s Director for Nuclear Program, Thomas Cochran, said that the nuclear sector in Canada should play more active role on the matter of storing the atomic wastes underground.  TheCanadianPress  published this news.

Over the past few years, the power sector of the country is promoting nuclear energy as the clean and carbon-free source of energy. This form of energy also lessens the greenhouse gas emissions. But, like other countries producing nuclear energy, Canada is also yet to make plans for long-term management to dump the wastes.

The country is the biggest exporter of uranium in the world. It also has a long, taxpayer subsidized nuclear technology sector. The country’s nuclear sector contributes around $5 Billion yearly to its economy and generates almost 20,000 jobs. The export of uranium is estimated to be nearly $600 Million in value per year, and is showing fast paced growth, said the government of Canada. CTV published this news.

Thus, as the nuclear industry is growing strongly, so is the problem of nuclear waste. The nuclear wastes are harmful for the people and environment. It pollutes the water and aquatic system gravely by discharging from the heat dissipation system that release large volumes of water back into the atmosphere. As the air becomes contaminated, it cause acute problems, like skin cancer, to humans and also affects other forms of life.

But the collaboration between Canada and GNEP (Global Nuclear Energy Partnership) seemed ideally positioned. There are two points - firstly, the partnership proposes the countries that are exporting fuels to take back the nuclear wastes for disposal and reprocessing; secondly, it is planning to make a new reactor system not involving CANDU- the most effectual reactor in using uranium- technology of the Atomic Energy of Canada Limited or heavy water reactors, at least on the official papers. 

A Senior Research Analyst at RNCOS said, “Canada’s nuclear energy is showing growth and is proving itself as the country’s best source of energy. But the waste management remains a big headache for the Canadian government. The industry’s partnership with GNEP would definitely come as a big help in making the environment cleaner, but the best way to deal with this problem would be to recycle the wastes”