canadian nuclear safety commission orphaned source program
TRANSCRIPT
Henry Rabski, Director
Directorate of Nuclear Substance
Regulation
October 2010
nuclearsafety.gc.ca
Canadian Nuclear
Safety Commission
Commission canadienne
de sûreté nucléaire
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Orphaned Source Program
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Background
• What is an Orphan Source?
- a radioactive source that is not under proper
regulatory control
• Dealing with Orphan Sources
- on an ad-hoc basis to date
- sources continue to be discovered
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Background (continued)
• IRRS (June 2009) suggested that CNSC have an orphan
source recovery program
• DNSR conducted a full review of its regulatory oversight
regarding orphan sources
• IAEA Code of Conduct contains provisions regarding the
control of orphan sources
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Examples of Items Discovered
Damaged Portable Gauge
Radium Switches
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Examples (Continued)
• Process Gauge
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Nuclear Regulation in Canada
• Nuclear Safety and Control Act (2000)
• Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
“to protect the health, safety and security of Canadians as well as
the environment, and respects Canada's international commitments
on the peaceful use of nuclear energy”
- Seven Commissioners appointed by the Governor-in-Council
- Staff
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Regulatory Operations Branch
Directorate
of Power
Reactor
Regulation
Directorate
of Nuclear Cycle
& Facilities
Regulation
Directorate
of Nuclear
Substance
Regulation
Directorate
of
Regulatory
Improvement &
Major
Projects Mgt
Executive
Vice President
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Directorate of Nuclear Substance Regulation
Director General
André Regimbald
Operations
Inspection
Division
Nuclear Substances&
Radiation Devices
Licensing
Division
Accelerators &
Class II
Division
Transport
Licensing &
Strategic Support
Division
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Operations Inspection Division
Director
Western
Regional Office
Central
Regional
Office
Eastern
Regional
Office
Southern
Regional
Office
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Commission Offices Across Canada
Staff: ~ 850 Resources: $140 m (70% cost-recovered)
Licensees: 2,050 Licenses: 3,300
Saskatoon Uranium Mills and Mines Division Regional Office
Calgary Western Regional Office
HQ in Ottawa
5 site offices at power reactors
1 site office at Chalk River
4 regional offices
Mississauga Southern Regional Office
Gentilly-2 Point Lepreau
Chalk River
HQ
Bruce A & B
Pickering A&B
Darlington
Laval Eastern Regional Office
CANM Annual Meeting 05/08/2010 - 10
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Review of Findings
28
21
7
1
20 19
109
0
4
6
1
5
24
43
1 13
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Number of Sources
or Devices
2007 2008 2009 2010
Year
Lost, stolen and found sealed sources and devices in Canada
Number of lost or stolen sealed sources or devicesNumber of recovered lost or stolen sealed sources or devicesNumber of not recovered lost or stolen sealed sources or devicesNumber of recovered orphan sealed sources or devices Number of scrap metal alarms reported
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Proposed Enhanced Program
• DNSR is proposing an enhanced regulatory oversight program to deal with orphan sources:
Promotion & Communication
Prevention
Response & Recovery
• Program follows guidelines established under the Code of Conduct
• Program is Risk- Informed
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Promotion & Communication
• Increased Communication Awareness
• Improved information poster and pamphlet
• Procedure to facilitate the transport of municipal waste
containing radioisotopes
• New regulatory provisions proposed in Packaging and Transport
regulations
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Promotion & Communication
• Poster under
preparation
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Prevention
• Licensing the possession, use, import/export of sealed sources
• Sealed source tracking
• National Sealed Source Registry established for all types of sealed
sources (Cat 1 to 5)
• Tracking of high-risk sealed sources through the Sealed Source Tracking
System
• Enhanced import/export controls for Cat 1 & 2 sealed sources
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Prevention
• Licensee inventory control
• In Annual Compliance Reports
• Physical verification of inventory during inspections
• Exchange of information with USNRC and CBSA
• New Financial Guarantees regime for DNSR licensees (to
be introduced in 2011)
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Response & Recovery
• Reporting to CNSC • Licensees
• Waste/metal recyclers
• Public
• Discovery by CNSC during inspections or other situations
• Identified source → licensee is responsible
• Unidentified source → finder is responsible
• CNSC will assist
• CNSC will assume control as last resort
We will not compromise safety!
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Response & Recovery
• Clearer Direction Needed
• Response criteria
• Role & responsibilities of CNSC staff
• Financial implications
• Naturally-Occurring Nuclear Substances (NONS)
• Mostly in scrap metal facilities
• Province may restrict disposal
• Guidance developed by NRCan
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Program Implementation
• DNSR leading the application of the program
• Implementation begins in 2010, to include:
• Distribution information pamphlet & poster
• Continuation of preventive control measures (eg. licensing,
source tracking)
• Development of additional guidance on the identification,
recovery and disposal of an orphan source
• Financial resources if CNSC takes control
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Impacts on CNSC
• Impacts on CNSC are minimal (so far)
• Existing programs in place for Promotion, Communication and
Prevention
• Existing CNSC resources (available to deal with orphan sources)
• All orphan sources (with few exceptions) have been traced back
to owner
• Source disposal costs to CNSC have been minimal so far ($2K to
$4K in each case)
• Financial guarantees will help reduce financial burden to CNSC
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Next Steps
• Endorsement by CNSC SR Management
• Begin implementation phase- September 2010
• Continue existing program component
• Develop response criteria - March 2011
• Regulations amendment – 2011
• Complete program documentation - March 2011
• CNSC Orphan Source Policy – March 2011
• Obtain Management Agreement
• Implementation of Financial Guarantees - 2011/12
Thank You
nuclearsafety.gc.ca
Canada
Canadian Nuclear
Safety Commission
Commission canadienne
de sûreté nucléaire
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Historic Artefacts
Radium Clocks
Radium Dials