Nuclear claims and commercial contradictions

Toby Barrett: June, 2008

...Many will recall the ads run by the Canadian Nuclear Association - a $1.7 million ad campaign in fact - touting nuclear as, "clean, reliable and affordable." What many may not recall is the subsequent false advertising complaint filed by environmental, church and health groups submitted to the Competition Bureau amid renewed debate about the nuclear option as an alternative to fossil fuels.The coalition filing the claim given a number of findings from a report of the Pembina Institute, titled, "Nuclear Power in Canada: An Examination of Risks, Impacts and Sustainability."A Pembina report found that the Canadian nuclear sector produces:-An estimated 575,000 tonnes of acidic tailings each year from the mining of uranium fuel. These contain a range of acids, long-lived radioactive material, heavy metals and other contaminants.-Approximately 85,000 waste-fuel bundles annually. As of 2003, 1.7 million radioactive bundles were in storage at reactor sites. It's estimated these wastes will have to be secured for approximately a million years.-Uranium mining and milling operations are found to be significant sources of releases of sulphur dioxide (SO2), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). Releases of NOx, particulate matter (PM) and sulphuric acid arise from refining and conversion activities.-Total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with uranium mining, milling, refining, conversion and fuel fabrication in Canada are estimated at between 240,000 and 366,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.Add to this the fact that, Health Canada and Environment Canada have determined that the discharge from nuclear plants meets the criteria to be categorized as toxic under the Canada Environmental Protection Act....

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