Canada’s Approach to Long-Term Management of Used Nuclear Fuel

To address the concerns of the growing issue of used nuclear fuel in Canada, the Canadian federal government established the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) under the Nuclear Fuel Waste Act of 2002. NWMO is investigating the option of a deep geological repository for the long-term storage of Canada’s used nuclear fuel. In order to develop a fair and socially acceptable siting process for the repository, NWMO engaged in a dialogue with nuclear experts, the Canadian public, and other stakeholders throughout 120 information sessions held across the country. From these discussions, the NWMO produced the Adaptive Phase Management Plan (APM) that was selected by the Canadian federal government as the national plan for solving Canada’s used fuel problem. NWMO is presently at the site selection stage of the plan, narrowing down the list of potential host communities from the original 22 that originally expressed interest. Geologic sampling will commence shortly at specific sites in order to determine technical suitability, and peer reviews and engagements with international entities are being conducted in order to ensure that the process is consistent with best practices.