RADIATION, HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AT THE CNSC

Presentation to alPHa Annual Conference, June 10, 2003

Jim Blyth, Director General

Directorate of Power Reactor Regulation

Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission

Radiation, Health and Environmental Protection at the CNSC

• Overview of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC).

• How CNSC staff carry out the mandate.

• What CNSC requires of licensees to protect human health and the environment.

Nuclear Regulation in Canada - Background

• On June 1, 2000 the AECB became the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC)

• Focus is protection of health, safety and the environment

Mandate of Operations Branch

The Operations Branch is responsible for regulation of the development, production and use of nuclear energy, the production, possession, transport and use of nuclear substances and radiation devices.

Areas Regulated by the CNSC

• power reactors & research reactors• fuel fabricators• large and small accelerators• uranium mines and mills• transportation of radioactive material• radioisotopes production and use• safeguards and non-proliferation• radioactive waste management

Regulatory Processes

The core processes focus on:

• Development and maintenance of requisite regulations and regulatory documents

• Implementation of integrated licencing programs

• Performance of systematic inspections to confirm compliance with regulatory requirements

• Communication with participants and stakeholders

8

NPPs Bruce A Bruce B Darlington Pickering A Pickering B Gentilly-2 Point Lepreau

Safety Areas P I P I P I P I P I P I P I

OperatingPerformance

B B B B B B B B B B B B B B

PerformanceAssurance

B C B C B C B B B C C C C C

DesignAdequacy

B B B B B B B B B B B B B B

Equipment Fitness for Service

B C B B B B B B B B B B B B

EmergencyPreparedness

A A A A A A A A A A A A A C

Environmental Performance

B B B B B B B B B B B B B B

Radiation Protection

A B A B A B A B A B A C A B

Nuclear Security B B B B B B B B B B B B B B

Safeguards A A A A A A A A A A A A A A

Figure 1: CNSC Staff Annual Report Cardof Nuclear Power Plant Performance in 2002

A = Exceeds requirements / B = Meets requirements / C = Below requirements / D = Significantly below requirements / E = UnacceptableP – Program I - Implementation

Radiation and Environmental Protection Programs

• Provide expert scientific and technical guidance to the CNSC with respect to protection of humans and the environment against unreasonable risk from ionizing radiation and hazardous substances.

• Conduct assessment and compliance activities to ensure licensees are making adequate and effective provisions for protection of health, safety and the environment.

CNSC Technical Specialists

• CNSC’s radiation and environmental protection program is conducted by a wide range of technical specialists:

– Internal and external dosimetry specialists– Biologists (radiobiologist and environmental biologists)– Environmental chemists and geochemists– Hydrologists and hydrogeologists– Contaminant environmental fate & transport specialists

(e.g. atmospheric and aquatic dispersion)– Environmental toxicologists– Epidemiologist– Environmental and radiation protection specialists– Engineers, physicists

National and International Collaboration

• National and international working groups, committees, organizations

• Regulatory environment– Federal Acts and Regulations (CEAA,

CEPA, Fisheries Act, Canada Labour Code)

– Radiation protection based largely on ICRP 60.

– Provincial regulatory requirements

Licencing Cycle

• Site licence• Construction licence• Operation licence (includes

commissioning)• Decommissioning licence• Licence to abandon

Assessment of Licence Application

• Review of licensee programs in the areas of health, safety and the environment.

• Assess potential effects on human and environmental health

–Radiation protection regulations–Hazardous substances benchmarks

developed by other agencies

Compliance Verification

Methods used to verify compliance depending upon the degree and scope of the activity.

• Type I Inspection (audit)

• Type II Inspection (conventional inspection)

• Evaluation (desk-top review)

The Commission & Public Hearings

• Licence Application• Notice of Public Hearing• Day 1 – Applicant & CNSC staff• Day 2 – Public Interventions, Updates• Record of Decision

16

Evaluation

Inspection

Audit

RiskPerformance

Rating

Compliance Program

Assessment Rating

Assessment Rating

InspectionRating

InspectionRating

EvaluationRating

EvaluationRating

Audit Rating

Audit Rating

Licensee Report Card(Risk Informed)

RenewLicence

Licence Application

CommissionDesignated

Officer

LicensingProgram

RenewalAssessment

CNSC Regulatory Process

Recommend Renewal and

Licence Period?

Authorize or

Refuse?

Port Hope Health Studies

• Residents concerned about health effects.

• Radium and uranium processing industries: – local disposal of radioactive and other

wastes.

• Cancer Incidence (August 2000)• Cancer and General Mortality (June, 2002)

Saskatchewan Uranium Miners’ Cohort Study

1993 Joint Federal-Provincial Panel on Uranium Mining Developments in Northern Saskatchewan recommendations

• Update Eldorado Study (1950-present)• Feasibility Study of Modern Mining era (1975-

future)

• Study Working Group• Steering Committee