LETTER

Ottawa city council and the radioactive dump

 

We must forcefully state our shock at the positions taken by both the City of Ottawa and the Medical Officer of Health of the City of Ottawa in their submissions to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, August 4.

Their position reminds us of the Bulletin’s editorial. If Ottawa is not particularly concerned about this proposal, they really should host the dump in downtown Ottawa (as the editorial suggested). They seem to be saying it is OK to contaminate the river, but just let them know.

It defies logic to support CNL’s plans to construct a massive radioactive waste dump 1 km from the Ottawa River and at the same time talk about wanting to receive timely information about spills and emergency events so that the drinking water of the 875,000 residents of Ottawa might be what - saved, cleaned? And what about the health of all of us on the River?

The proposed facility fails to meet international standards.  It is above-ground and some long-lived, hazardous radioactive material will be disposed of in this facility that will be exposed to the elements, storms, etc., for 50 years and then covered with a plastic liner which may protect your swimming pool but in no way protects the Ottawa River from leaking contaminated water.  If we are all lucky, maybe if there are no unknown events that could severely damage this facility, it will last for 300 years -- but the radioactive content will be hazardous for 100,000 years.  

To Ottawa residents and all those living near the Ottawa River - wake up!  Don’t let your municipal leaders and local and federal politicians get away with this. It is shameful. Last year, the Ottawa River was declared a Heritage River and, this year, they tell us it is OK to put a facility next to the river that could radioactively contaminate our River for millennia as long as the City of Ottawa gets a heads-up about the leak or emergency event. What do you think the City could do if this happened? What would you do - stop living on the River, move out of the area? And who do you think will pay for the damage, who will be liable? Not the private companies that are going to build it, that is for sure.

Ottawa - you need to be a leader in this issue! Your position now is seriously flawed.

Johanna Echlin
Old Fort William Cottagers’ Association
Sheenboro (Pontiac)