When recent expert testing revealed families living in homes in Elliot Lake are being exposed to radiation well above allowable limits some of those families say they demanded immediate action from the federal government and mining company BHP to clean up radioactive wastes found on their properties.
A release from a group of these families says the waste was widely used as fill for construction in the 1960s and came from uranium mines, now closed, that once fuelled nuclear power plants.
"Property surveys confirm radioactive mine waste is located in their driveways and areas near the homes’ foundations," says the release. "As the mine waste rock decays, gamma radiation is emitted as well as radon gas, which easily builds up in the indoor, home environment. Radon is a radioactive gas and known human carcinogen."
The release was issued by lawyers for Elliot Lake residents Jennifer Carling and Lisa Speck.
Residents say the presence of radioactive waste at their homes is “an egregious failure of Canada’s nuclear regulatory system” as no action has been taken in response to their requests to the federal Ministry of Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and BHP for clean up.
They are also asking Canada’s nuclear regulator, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), to issue an order against BHP, requiring the removal of the waste and its proper disposal at a nearby waste facility, which is housed at the now-closed BHP mine site and licensed by the nuclear regulator.
"Elected representatives for the area have also voiced their support for the clean up, including MP Hughes who will be addressing the House of Commons later in the day, and MPP Mantha who noted in correspondence to the NRCan, 'it is unrealistic to expect an individual to manage the remediation of a contaminated site',” says the release.
Members of the public wishing to support the families’ request for a clean up are encouraged to contact NRCan and the CNSC directly at Minister.Ministre@nrcan-