Packaging and transport of used nuclear fuel in Canada
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) and Transport Canada jointly oversee the safe transport of all nuclear substances in Canada. This includes used nuclear fuel.
Transport overview
The transport of nuclear substances is subject to the requirements of:
- CNSC’s Packaging and Transport of Nuclear Substances Regulations, 2015 (PTNSR 2015)
- Transport Canada’s Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations (TDG Regulations)
There is no difference from a regulatory perspective between the transport of used nuclear fuel and the transport of other nuclear substances. The transport of nuclear substances, including used nuclear fuel, must comply with both the PTNSR 2015 and the TDG Regulations. These regulations apply to all individuals and organizations involved in handling, offering for transport, transporting or receiving nuclear substances.
Packages are selected according to the nature, form, quantity and activity of the material, regardless of its intended or past use.
Transport of nuclear substances in Canada
Learn how the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission regulates the transport of nuclear substances in Canada—from packing to delivery.
Transcript
Soft, uplifting music plays.
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission signature appears.
Text appears: The transport of nuclear substances in Canada is safe and highly regulated.
Narrator: The transport of nuclear substances in Canada is safe and highly regulated. Anyone who transports nuclear substances must follow strict requirements set by Transport Canada and by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, or the CNSC.
Two shields, each inscribed with a check mark, appear. The shield on the left sits on a green background with the word “Safe” below it. The shield next to it sits on a blue background with the words “Highly regulated” below it.
An illustration of a person reviewing a document appears. To the right, 4 vertically stacked shields with check marks appear one at a time. A hand holding a certificate slides in from the left, and a blue truck rolls in just below it.
The words “Transport Canada” and “Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission” fly in from opposite sides and meet in the middle just below the image.
A map of Canada appears to the left. To the right, a number counter appears with large green numbers rolling up to reach the number 750,000. As the counter goes up, the map of Canada fills up with the colour blue from the bottom to the top until the counter stops and the map is solid blue.
Text appears: 750,000 shipments of nuclear substances are transported to, from and within Canada every year.
Narrator: About three quarters of a million shipments of nuclear substances are transported to, from and within Canada every year. The vast majority of these shipments contain substances that are used for medical, industrial, academic, research and commercial purposes.
A green rectangle, representing an empty shipment, fills the screen. Five smaller white rectangles fly in from the right to fill the shipment. A bell-like sound marks the appearance of each rectangle. Each one has an illustration representing the types of substances that shipments can contain: medical, industrial, academic, research and commercial. The image freezes on the screen for a moment.
Narrator: Only a very small proportion of shipments include radioactive waste and used nuclear fuel.
The shipment image zooms out to reveal a total of 12 similar shipments stacked in a blue transport truck. As the image zooms out, a small purple package can be seen, representing radioactive waste and used nuclear fuel. It continues to zoom out, emphasizing the very small proportion of the radioactive waste and used fuel in comparison to other the shipments in the truck. The blue truck turns green, and drives to the left, disappearing from view. A simple sketch of trees and a landscape remains on the screen.
The screen is divided in the middle by a thin horizontal black line . On the left side is an image of a transport truck. In the background there are mountains and trees, and a large map is floating, showing a route with a green line. On the right side of the screen is a character looking down at a tablet, and a digital map showing the route with a green line is in the background. The 2 green lines begin to simultaneously disappear and the screen fades to white.
Narrator: Routes for transporting higher-risk material are not shared publicly to keep the material safe and to protect people and the environment.
At the left of the screen, a blue transport truck appears with a map flashing in the background. An oversized character wearing a red hooded shirt and a face mask is gripping the truck. A circle with a diagonal slash forms around this image, and the music becomes dramatic.
A scene to the right emerges, pushing the scene on the left away and moving to the centre. This scene features a nature composition, with 2 large mountains and trees in the background. A brown bear and its cub watch salmon jump in and out the water. Across the river is a family: One character is standing up looking at a trail map, and the other is kneeling down with a child, admiring the vegetation. A rabbit appears from behind the person kneeling, and a bird can be seen flying far in the distance. The scene is enclosed by a green circle, and a pair of oversized hands fly in to hold the circle, demonstrating protection. The scene fades to white.
A package designer is at a workstation. Packages move across a conveyor belt until they reach the designer who, using an index finger, activates the design process. Gears begin to turn and lights flash. Packages roll out on the belt and more packages roll in. A small globe with a green shield appears at the centre, expanding to cover the screen before it fades out.
Narrator: For nuclear substances, safety relies heavily on the design of the transport package. Each package must meet the CNSC’s requirements, which are based on international standards. These standards ensure that packages are secure, can be handled safely, and are strong enough to withstand routine transport conditions.
Three individuals at the centre of a scene, with 2 green shields – 1 on either side of them. One person is looking at a tablet and the others are pointing to a location drop pin. A drone flies up from the ground while a plane flies across the sky. A train rolls in from the left while a ship moves in from the right, below the characters, and traffic-like sounds such as horns and engines can be heard in the background.
Narrator: For packages carrying high-risk material, the requirements are even more robust, and packages are tested to ensure that they are safe in the event of an accident.
A truck with high-risk material is at a testing facility. This image becomes smaller as it moves to the top left corner of the screen, fading to reveal 4 quadrants, each displaying a different scene. Text in the centre of the screen reads “Tests simulate potential accidental conditions.”
The top left quadrant shows a package being dropped to the ground from a high distance, with a worker observing. The scene at the top right shows a package being exposed to high temperatures. In the bottom left quadrant, a package is submerged in water. At the bottom right, a blue transport truck is carrying a package. The screen zooms in on the truck, which turns green and rolls out of the scene.
Narrator: CNSC engineers certify packages for use in Canada for the highest-risk quantities and types of nuclear substances.
Three engineers holding documents and pens are looking at a high-risk package and nodding. This image moves up to the left to reveal an image of a certificate with a map of Canada. To the left of the certificate is a hand holding up a stamp. As the hand comes down and uses the stamp, the word “CERTIFIED” appears below it, and the certificate badge changes from blue to green.
Narrator: All transport activities involving nuclear substances must comply with CNSC regulations, even though most shipments do not require a licence. When required, transport licences are issued by a designated officer on behalf of the Commission.
An oversized image shows an inspector sitting over an exit gate. A green truck rolls to the gate; the inspector has his hand up and taps a green shield appearing as the truck pulls up. A check mark appears in the shield, which activates the barrier arm to raise up to let the truck go through. Another truck pulls up, but this time the shield appears in yellow to indicate that a licence is required. A licensing document comes up from below and reaches the shield. The shield turns green, the check mark activates, the barrier arm raises up, truck rolls ahead and scene fades to white.
Narrator: CNSC inspectors conduct frequent compliance checks to verify proof of training for transport workers, review documents, and inspect packages to ensure that they are properly prepared for transport.
A scene is split into 4 quadrants. The top left shows an inspector taking a close look at the compliance report on a tablet. At the top right is a person sitting at a desk taking training. There is an image of a green truck on the computer screen and a training certificate flies in from the right. The bottom left shows an inspector reviewing the documents as an industrial cart with packages rolls up to a check point. The bottom right shows an inspector reviewing packages before being loaded for transport. A green circle with a check mark appears on the documents and the inspector nods. The scene fades to white.
Narrator: Inspectors have the power to stop the transport of nuclear substances if the packages do not comply with our regulations.
In the middle of the screen is a map with an inspector in front, their hand facing forward. A dark grey truck rolls in from the left towards the inspector. The inspector’s hand turns up and gets larger to signal “stop”; a banner with a lock and the word “STOP” appears in the top left corner of the map – all red. A yellow shield with an exclamation mark expands and covers the middle of the truck. The scene fades out.
Four previously seen scenes fly in and stay close to each corner of the screen. The top left is the scene showing a designer working on packages. The top right scene shows methods of transportation such as a drone, truck, airplane, train and ship. The bottom left scene displays a transport route for higher-risk materials, with the route disappearing (not shared publicly). The bottom right shows a nature scene with an adult brown bear and its cub, watching salmon jump in and out of the water, surrounded by mountains. Across the river is a family enjoying nature, one person is standing up looking at a trail map, and the other kneeling down facing a child, both admiring the vegetation. A rabbit hops behind the parent and child, and an eagle can be seen and heard in the distance. A green circle forms around this scene and a pair of oversized hands fly in to hold the green circle to signify protection. The screen turns green.
Narrator: From packaging to delivery, the CNSC’s oversight of the transport of nuclear substances in Canada ensures the protection of the environment as well as the and the health, safety, and security of all people in Canada.
The screen fills with white, and a blue banner opens up from the middle, displaying the hyperlink text for the CNSC website, reading “nuclearsafety.gc.ca”. The banner turns green and the screen fades to white. The Government of Canada federal identity wordmark appears. The video closes with a short musical outro.
Key points
Note these key points about the packaging and transport of used nuclear fuel in Canada:
- As with all nuclear substances, the packaging and transport of used nuclear fuel is a strictly regulated activity.
- Transport safety relies primarily on the design of the transport package.
- Transport security plans are required for shipments of used nuclear fuel.
- Consignors must have plans in place in the unlikely event of an accident.
Ensuring the safe transport of used nuclear fuel
Transporting used nuclear fuel is a highly regulated activity with a strong safety record. Packages for used nuclear fuel are designed, tested and certified to withstand accident conditions. Used fuel has been transported safely by road, rail, water and air for more than 60 years. There have been no reported serious injuries, fatalities or environmental consequences related to its radioactive nature.
Regulatory oversight of the package and transport of used nuclear fuel is achieved by:
- certifying package designs
- registering users of certified packages
- issuing a licence for the transport of used nuclear fuel that includes a transport security plan
- performing inspections
Modes of transport
The guiding principle in transporting nuclear materials is that safety depends mainly on the design of the transport package. All modes of transport, whether by road, rail, air or sea, are seen as equally safe for used nuclear fuel as a result.
Package safety
Transport packages for used nuclear fuel undergo rigorous certification by the CNSC. Designs must pass strict performance tests, including:
- a 9-metre drop onto an unyielding surface
- exposure to 800 °C for 30 minutes
- immersion in 15 metres of water for 8 hours without loss of containment
The CNSC’s team of certification engineers examine and scrutinize the safety analysis of the package designs submitted by the package designers. Only designs that meet all performance specifications are certified and allowed to be used for transporting used nuclear fuel. Each package is CNSC-certified for the specific mode(s) of transport in which it is intended to be used.
Security measures
Shipments of used nuclear fuel require a transport security plan, prepared by the consignor (sender) and assessed by the CNSC. Transport security plans and routes are classified as prescribed information and cannot be shared with the public. This information is shared only with those with a valid need-to-know status, such as police response forces.
Emergency response
Consignors and carriers must have emergency measures in place in the unlikely event of an accident. The consignor’s emergency response plan or transport plan contains the procedures to follow in the event of an accident.
Used nuclear fuel is a solid material and any contamination would be localized to the immediate area around the container. The contamination would be cleaned up quickly in the unlikely event of a release of a nuclear substance. The PTNSR 2015 requires that all accidents and dangerous occurrences are reported to the CNSC immediately.
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