As the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories is working to decommission Douglas Point, the organization says that some big projects will be tackled over the next year.
CNL’s Senior Communications Officer Margot Thompson says that this year, they’ll be demolishing the non-nuclear buildings, including the turbine building and administration building from the old site.
Thompson says that a lot of prep work has gone into reaching this step, including asbestos abatement and perimeter trenching to disconnect electrical and mechanical service to the buildings.
“Within the next year we expect to be able to dismantle the non-nuclear buildings,” she says. “It will be a visual difference next time you see a picture.”
A majority of all of the total waste from what will be created through the demolition of the building is recyclable or reusable through other avenues of industry.
“About three percent is conventional waste [that] can end up in your regular landfill. Less than one percent is hazardous waste, so it goes to designated facilities that have the license to handle that material,” says Thompson.
As for the spent radioactive waste that is not used fuel, she says “All of the radioactive waste from the current licensing period as well as any future licensing period will go to Chalk River Laboratories for interim storage and possible eventual disposal. That does not include the radioactive waste that’s classified as ‘high-level’ waste. That all goes to the program with the Nuclear Waste Management Organization to take care of all of Canada’s spent fuel.”
Once the administration and turbine buildings are demolished and cleared, CNL will start on decommissioning the nuclear service buildings, and then clear out the reactor.
