Canadian Nuclear Laboratories says results of a recent public survey show “strong public confidence” in CNL operations and activities, including the Near Surface Disposal Facility (NSDF) project.
Conducted by Nanos Research, the survey was commissioned by CNL and completed randomly by phone with more than 500 residents within Renfrew and Pontiac counties.
Among the findings, 58% of respondents said they were confident CNL has “followed the necessary regulatory review process” in developing the proposed NSDF, and 57% are confident CNL “can construct and operate a low-level waste disposal facility safely.”
Twenty-five and 26% or respondents were neutral and just 17% were “not confident” on the two questions.
“With a majority of respondents stating that they are confident that CNL can safely construct and operate the NSDF, the survey results reflect CNL’s commitment to public engagement and represent good news for CNL as it nears the final regulatory hearing on the proposed project,” the company said in a statement.
“CNL has made it a priority to better engage the public on the work we are doing at the Chalk River Laboratories, and it is clear that these efforts have paid off,” commented Joe McBrearty, CNL’s president and CEO.
“In particular, we appreciate the public confidence in our work to safely construct and operate the NSDF, a project that allows us to clean up historic waste on the site, better protect the local environment, and position the campus for the future.
“The NSDF team has worked incredibly hard to maintain open and honest dialogue with local residents about the project, and that commitment is reflected in these results.”
CNL said the survey results also provide the company with insight into the effectiveness of its ongoing public engagement program and evolving public perceptions since 2018, when CNL last conducted a similar survey.
Among the improvements in public awareness and confidence, results show an increase in awareness of the Chalk River Laboratories, CNL’s activities to revitalize the campus, CNL’s NSDF project, and in CNL’s SMR program.
The NSDF project is under review by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) and is subject to federal assessment, which has been underway since 2017, under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.
“As CNL approaches a final public hearing and decision from the CNSC, the survey results show that a clear majority of local residents have confidence that the staff at the Chalk River Laboratories site have followed the necessary regulatory review process in developing their proposal for the NSDF and in their capabilities to safely construct and operate the facility,” the company said.
“With respect to the NSDF, I think that local residents understand that CNL is taking this project very seriously, and that our employees are committed to protecting the environment, especially the Ottawa River,” commented Zack Smith, CNL’s vice-president of Environmental Remediation Management.
“CNL is also committed to providing members of the public and Indigenous communities with the opportunity to participate fully in the evaluation of the proposed facility.”
The CNSC is scheduled to consider CNL’s NSDF application at a final public hearing that begins on May 31, 2022. Members of the public can submit comments on the project to the CNSC until April 11 via the agency’s website.
The NSDF is proposed to be an “engineered containment mound” designed to take both legacy wastes from the Chalk River site, as well as waste from current decommissioning efforts.
The facility would receive up to 1 million cubic metres of low-level radioactive waste over its 50-year operating life, beginning in 2024.
In their report on the project, CNSC staff say the NSDF is “not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects,” and that the commission should approve a licence for the site’s construction.
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