RADIATION, HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AT THE CNSC

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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

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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.

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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

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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.

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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

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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

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Figure 1 CNSC Staff Annual Report Card of
Nuclear Power Plant Performance in 2002
NPPs Bruce A Bruce A Bruce B Bruce B Darlington Darlington Pickering A Pickering A Pickering B Pickering B Gentilly-2 Gentilly-2 Point Lepreau Point Lepreau
Safety Areas P I P I P I P I P I P I P I
Operating Performance B B B B B B B B B B B B B B
Performance Assurance B C B C B C B B B C C C C C
Design Adequacy 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
Emergency Preparedness 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
A Exceeds requirements / B Meets requirements
/ C Below requirements / D Significantly
below requirements / E Unacceptable P Program
I - Implementation
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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.

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CNSC Technical Specialists

• CNSCs 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

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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

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Licencing Cycle

• Site licence
• Construction licence
• Operation licence (includes commissioning)
• Decommissioning licence
• Licence to abandon

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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

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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)

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The Commission Public Hearings

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

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CNSC Regulatory Process
Risk Performance Rating
Licensee Report Card (Risk Informed)
Licence Application
Assessment Rating
Renewal Assessment
Compliance Program
Inspection Rating
Inspection
Licensing Program
Recommend Renewal and Licence Period?
Evaluation Rating
Evaluation
CommissionDesignated Officer
Renew Licence
Audit
Audit Rating
Authorize or Refuse?
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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)

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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