Section D
Inventories and Lists
D.1 Scope of the section
This section addresses Article 32 (Reporting) (2) of the Joint Convention. It provides a list of the various spent fuel and radioactive waste management facilities in Canada, and indicates the total inventory of each of the waste categories. Each licensee is required to develop and implement an accountability system, including the appropriate records. This system and associated records are subject to regulatory oversight. The requirements Safety Series 115 Part IV.17 are addressed in this section. Maps showing the location of radioactive waste management sites in Eastern, Central and Western Canada are attached in sections D.8 and D.9.
D.2 Inventory of spent fuel in Canada
D.2.1 Spent fuel wet storage inventory at nuclear reactor sites
Almost all nuclear generating stations and research reactor sites store spent fuel waste onsite in irradiated fuel bays (wet storage), pending transfer to a dedicated spent fuel dry storage centre. Table D.1 inventories the number of spent fuel bundles in wet storage in Canada, and Table D.2 the spent fuel in dry storage.
Table D.1 - Inventory of spent fuel in wet storage in Canada as of December 31, 2007
Site |
Number of Fuel Bundles in Wet Storage |
Kilograms of Uranium[5] |
|---|---|---|
Bruce A and B Nuclear Generating Stations |
745,686 |
14,182,790 |
Darlington Nuclear Generating Station |
322,757 |
6,163,294 |
Gentilly-2 Nuclear Generating Station |
37,037 |
705,735 |
Pickering A and B Nuclear Generating Station |
394,862 |
7,833,555 |
Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station |
35,070 |
673,223 |
McMaster Nuclear Research Reactor (MNR) |
40[1] |
8.4[4] |
Chalk River Laboratories (CRL) - National Research Universal (NRU) |
367[1] |
3,271[3] |
Table D.2 - Inventory of spent fuel in dry storage facilities in Canada as of December 31, 2007
Site |
Number of Fuel Bundles in Dry Storage |
Kilograms of Uranium[5] |
|---|---|---|
CRL Waste Management Area (WMA) G (Nuclear Power Demonstration Fuel) |
4,853 |
9,817 |
CRL WMA B (Research Reactor Fuel) |
4,723[1] |
5,310[2] |
Douglas Point Waste Management Facility |
22,256 |
299,827 |
Gentilly-1 Waste Management Facility |
3,213 |
67,595 |
Gentilly-2 Waste Management Facility |
70,200 |
1,331,227 |
Pickering Waste Management Facility |
176,544 |
3,506,819 |
Point Lepreau Waste Management Facility |
81,000 |
1,553,282 |
Western Waste Management Facility (located at Bruce Site) |
107,900 |
2,051,798 |
Whiteshell Laboratories |
2,268 |
21,540 |
[1] For research reactors, inventory is reported as the number of research rods, fuel assemblies, units or items.
[2] CRL's spent fuel that is stored in tile holes has been estimated in kilograms of uranium.
[3] Natural, depleted and enriched uranium as of May 7, 2007.
[4] Enriched uranium fuel as of May 25, 2007.
[5] Reported as spent fuel (depleted or enriched fuel), unless otherwise noted.
D.3 Radioactive waste inventory
D.3.1 Radioactive waste management facilities
The table below (Table D.3) describes the low- and intermediate-level waste being stored, the waste management methods and the inventory of low- and intermediate-level waste in storage at each facility in Canada.
Table D.3 - Inventory of radioactive waste management for low-level radioactive waste (LLW) and intermediate-level radioactive waste (ILW) in Canada (as of December 31, 2007)
|
Radioactive Waste management or Nuclear Fuel cycle Facility |
Company Name or Responsible Party |
Description of Stored Waste |
Storage Method |
Onsite Waste Inventory as of December 31, 2007 |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
ILW |
LLW |
||||||
|
Volume (m3) |
Activity (TBq) |
Volume (m3) |
Activity (TBq) |
||||
Western Waste Management Facility (WWMF) |
OPG |
Interim storage of low- and intermediate-level reactor waste generated at Bruce A and B, Darlington and Pickering A and B. |
ILW: in-ground storage structures, including trenches, tile holes and in-ground containers, and aboveground storage structures, including a re-tube waste-storage building and quadricells. LLW: aboveground low-level storage buildings. |
9,340 |
39,685 |
66,040 |
91 |
Pickering Waste Management Facility |
OPG |
Re-tube reactor waste from refurbishment. |
ILW: dry storage modules (DSM). |
950 |
17,900 |
nil |
nil |
Gentilly-2 |
HQ |
Operational reactor waste. |
ILW: ASDR (concrete cells). LLW: ASDR (concrete cells). |
33.17 |
52.52 |
760 |
4.64 |
Point Lepreau |
NB Power |
Operational reactor waste. |
ILW: quadricells. LLW: concrete vaults. |
24 |
293 |
1647 |
0.6 |
Chalk River Laboratories |
AECL |
Research reactor and isotope production waste, as well as external waste. |
ILW: tile holes and bunkers. LLW: sand trenches, low-level storage buildings, aboveground stockpiles and Modular Above-Ground Storage (MAGS). I & LLW: Shielded modular above-ground storage (SMAGS). |
18,221[6] 764[7] |
n/a n/a |
95,299[6] n/a[7] |
n/a n/a |
Port Hope Conversion Facility |
Cameco |
Non-combustible process waste. |
LLW: 205-litre drums. |
nil |
nil |
6,650 |
n/a |
Blind River Refinery |
Cameco |
Non-combustible process waste. |
LLW: 205-litre drums. |
nil |
nil |
1,900 |
n/a |
Whiteshell Laboratories |
AECL |
Research reactor waste. |
ILW: in-ground concrete bunkers. LLW: aboveground concrete bunkers. |
863 |
2,942 |
19,885 |
333 |
RWOS 1 |
OPG |
Low- and intermediate-level waste from Douglas Point. |
ILW: in-ground storage structures, including trenches and lined tile holes. LLW: trenches. |
10 |
24[8] |
630 |
1[8] |
[6] Volumes are based on method of storage and do not necessarily represent the actual breakdown of waste into intermediate and low-level.
[7] SMAGS Unit 1 was put in service in 2008. The waste volume reported in the table was temporarily stored until Unit 1 was completed and then transferred to SMAGS Unit 1 in 2008.
[8] RWOS 1 activity estimated from total of 25 TBq on the basis of 95 percent of activity in ILW and five percent in LLW.
Table D.4 describes the radioactive waste from past practices that is stored at each site and how it is managed.
Table D.4 - Management of low-level radioactive waste (LLW) from past practices
|
Site Name or Location |
Licensee or Responsible Party |
Description of Stored Waste |
Storage Method |
LLW |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Volume (m3) |
Activity (TBq) |
||||
Port Hope |
LLRWMO |
Contaminated soils. |
LLW: above-ground mounds. |
720,000 |
n/a |
Welcome |
Cameco |
Wastes and contaminated soils. |
LLW: burial. |
480,000 |
n/a |
Port Granby |
Cameco |
Wastes and contaminated soils. |
LLW: burial. |
440,000 |
n/a |
Northern Transportation Route |
LLRWMO |
Contaminated soils. |
LLW: soil stored in various areas. |
10,000 |
n/a |
Fort McMurray, Alberta |
LLRWMO |
Contaminated soils. |
LLW: above-ground, consolidated mound. |
43,000 |
n/a |
Greater Toronto Area |
LLRWMO Toronto Regional Conservation Authority (trCA) Ontario Realty Corporation (ORC) |
Radium contaminated soils. Radium contamination fixed to structural elements in buildings. |
In-situ -Fenced-in areas Isolation behind a double wall and ceiling. Above-ground consolidated mounds |
13,500 |
n/a |
Deloro Mine Site |
Ontario Ministry of the Environment (OMOE) |
Contaminated soils and historical tailings. |
In-situ. (Fenced-in area) |
37,500 |
6.3 |
Table D.5 inventories the low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste resulting from decommissioning activities at Canadian facilities, as of December 31, 2007. Note that the Cluff Lake site, which is currently being decommissioned, is included in Table D.7.
Table D.5 - Low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste (LLW and ILW) in Canada from decommissioning activities (as of December 31, 2007)
|
Site Name or Location |
Company Name or Responsible Party |
Description of Stored Waste |
Storage Method |
Onsite Waste Inventory as of December 31, 2007 |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
ILW |
LLW |
||||||
|
Volume (m3) |
Activity (TBq) |
Volume (m3) |
Activity (TBq) |
||||
Whiteshell Laboratories |
AECL |
Decommissioning waste (January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2007) |
ILW: in-ground, concrete bunkers. LLW: aboveground, concrete bunkers. |
1.3 |
0.011 |
231 |
0.049 |
Chalk River Laboratories |
AECL |
Decommissioning waste (January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2007) |
ILW: tile holes and bunkers. LLW: MAGS. |
49[9] |
n/a |
123[9] |
n/a |
Douglas Point Waste Management Facility |
AECL |
Decommissioned reactor waste. |
Reactor building. |
61 |
n/a |
62 |
77 |
Nuclear Power Demonstration Waste Management Facility |
AECL |
Decommissioned reactor waste. |
LLW: reactor building. |
nil |
nil |
30 |
2,000[10] |
Gentilly-1 Waste Management Facility |
AECL |
Decommissioned reactor waste. |
Reactor building. |
27 |
n/a |
927 |
243 |
[9] Volumes are based on method of storage, and do not necessarily represent the actual breakdown of waste into low- and intermediate level radioactive waste.
[10] Volume does not include reactor components, such as shielding and heat transport systems, in the reactor buildings.
D.4 Uranium mining and milling waste
Uranium mining and milling generates two main forms of waste: tailings and waste rock. Historically, waste rock has been either stockpiled aboveground or used as backfill in underground mines. Today, mineralized special waste rock is segregated and managed with due consideration given to the hazards associated with mineralization and particular contaminants. Tailings are managed in engineered Tailings Management Facilities (TMFs). The unit of measure used in this report for uranium mine and mill wastes is tonne of dry mass, as this is the same unit used in the mining industry to track and report materials.
D.4.1 Operational mine and mill sites
Table D.6 details the uranium tailings and waste rock in storage at operational mine sites in Canada.
Table D.6 - Uranium tailings and waste rock at operational mine sites (as of December 31, 2007)
|
Operating Tailings Sites |
Company Name or Responsible Party |
Storage Method |
Onsite Waste Inventory as of December 31, 2007 |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Tailings |
Waste Rock |
||||
|
Mass (tonnes) |
Mineralized (tonnes) |
Non-Mineralized (tonnes) |
|||
Key Lake |
Cameco |
Tailings management area stores tailings from Key Lake and McArthur River. |
3,090,000[11] |
1,720,000 |
64,980,000 |
Rabbit Lake |
Cameco |
Tailings management area holds tailings from Rabbit Lake and Cigar Lake. |
6,750,000[11] |
2,310,000 |
23,040,000[12] |
McClean Lake Operations |
AREVA |
In-pit tailings management facility stores tailings from McClean Lake. This facility will soon be used for tailing from Cigar lake and Midwest as well. |
1,246,800 |
5,900,000 |
51,700,000 |
McArthur River |
Cameco |
No tailings onsite. Ore is transported to Key Lake for milling. |
nil |
140,000 |
1,470,000 |
Cigar Lake |
Cameco |
No tailings onsite. Once operational, ore will be transported to McClean Lake and Rabbit Lake for milling. |
nil |
3,700 |
430,000 |
[11] Operational facility (see Table D.7 for inactive, onsite tailing management facilities)
[12] The amount of non-mineralized waste rock at Rabbit Lake is significantly higher than reported in 2005 due to an error (B-zone pile was not included).
D.4.2 Inventory of uranium mine and mill waste at inactive tailings sites
Table D.7 inventories waste rock and mill tailings at tailing sites that are no longer operational. As illustrated in Table D.6., there are operational tailings facilities at Key Lake and Rabbit Lake. ‘Inactive', in this context, refers to several different types of inventories described in section B.8. Note that while the waste rock inventory is provided for the Cluff Lake site and included in Table D.6 for the Rabbit Lake and Key Lake sites, however, it is generally not available for the older sites.
Table D.7 - Uranium tailings and waste rock at decommissioned and inactive tailings sites (as of December 31, 2007)
|
Site Name or Location |
Company Name or Responsible Party |
Storage Method |
Onsite Waste Inventory as of December 31, 2007 |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Tailings |
Waste Rock |
||||
|
Mass (tonnes) |
Mineralized (tonnes) |
Non-Mineralized (tonnes) |
|||
|
Decommissioning Tailings Sites |
|||||
Cluff Lake |
AREVA |
Surface. |
3,230,000 |
n/a[13] |
18,400,000 |
|
Inactive Tailings Sites |
|||||
Key Lake |
Cameco |
Aboveground tailings management facility. |
3,590,000 |
n/a |
n/a |
Rabbit Lake |
Cameco |
Aboveground tailings management facility. |
6,500,000 |
n/a |
n/a |
Beaverlodge |
Cameco |
Aboveground tailings and mine backfill. |
10,100,000[14] |
n/a |
4,800,000 |
Gunnar |
Saskatchewan Research Council |
Aboveground tailings. |
4,400,000 |
n/a |
n/a |
Lorado |
Saskatchewan Research Council |
Aboveground tailings. |
360,000 |
n/a |
n/a |
Port Radium |
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada |
Aboveground tailings in four areas. |
907,000 |
n/a |
n/a |
Rayrock |
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada |
Aboveground tailings in North and South tailings piles |
71,000 |
n/a |
n/a |
Quirke 1 and 2 |
Rio Algom Ltd. |
Flooded, aboveground tailings. |
46,000,000 |
n/a |
n/a |
Panel |
Rio Algom Ltd. |
Flooded, aboveground tailings. |
16,000,000 |
n/a |
n/a |
Denison |
Denison Mines Inc. |
Flooded, aboveground tailings in two areas. |
63,800,000 |
n/a |
n/a |
Spanish American |
Rio Algom Ltd. |
Flooded, aboveground tailings. |
450,000 |
n/a |
n/a |
Stanrock/Can-Met |
Denison Mines Inc. |
Aboveground tailings. |
5,750,000 |
n/a |
n/a |
Stanleigh |
Rio Algom Ltd. |
Flooded, aboveground tailings. |
19,953,000 |
n/a |
n/a |
Lacnor |
Rio Algom Ltd. |
Aboveground tailings. |
2,700,000 |
n/a |
n/a |
Nordic |
Rio Algom Ltd. |
Aboveground tailings. |
12,000,000 |
n/a |
n/a |
Milliken |
Rio Algom Ltd. |
Tailings management area. |
150,000 |
n/a |
n/a |
Pronto |
Rio Algom Ltd. |
Aboveground tailings. |
2,100,000 |
n/a |
n/a |
Agnew Lake |
Ontario Ministry of Northern Development and Mines |
Lake-vegetated, aboveground tailings. |
510,000 |
n/a |
n/a |
Dyno |
EnCana West Limited |
Aboveground tailings. |
600,000 |
n/a |
n/a |
Bicroft |
Barrick Gold Corp. |
Aboveground tailings in two areas |
2,000,000 |
n/a |
n/a |
Madawaska |
Madawaska Mines Ltd. |
Aboveground tailings in two areas |
4,000,000 |
n/a |
n/a |
[13] Not available. Note that much of the mining at Cluff Lake predated current waste segregation practices.
[14] Includes 4,300,000 tonnes placed underground.
Notes: n/a = not available
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Figure D.8 - Map of Radioactive Waste Management Sites in Eastern Canada
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Figure D.9 - Map of Radioactive Waste Management Sites in Central and Western Canada
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