Transportation of radioactive waste
The responsibility for ensuring safe transport of nuclear substances, including radioactive waste, is jointly shared between the CNSC and Transport Canada.
The basic philosophy that has guided the development of CNSC regulations for transport is that safety is incorporated in the design of the transport package.
Package designs are combined with additional regulatory controls including labelling, placarding, and quality assurance and maintenance records, and allow for radioactive material to be carried safely in all modes of transport such as road, rail, air and sea.
Transportation of high-level radioactive waste
The CNSC certifies the design of the packages required for the transport of used nuclear fuel and other high-level radioactive waste.
The design of certified transport packages must demonstrate the ability of the packages to retain their contents under accident conditions.
Canadian regulatory requirements state that all certified transport packages shall undergo stringent testing, including the ability to withstand the cumulative effects of a 9-metre drop onto an unyielding surface, a 30-minute thermal test at 800 °C, and immersion in 15 metres of water for 1 hour without a breach of containment.
High-level radioactive waste has been transported safely nationally and internationally for over 45 years by road, rail, water and air, without a single radiological incident.
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