COLLOQUIUM

Monday, April 18, 2005

"Canada's Radioactive Waste: Decision Making When Technical, Political, and Societal Issues are in Conflict"

Presented By

Canada's long standing and technically sophisticated program to dispose of spent fuel was brought to a halt by the Seaborn Panel Report in 1998. The panel found that while the program was technically adequate, there was insufficient public acceptance. As a consequence, by an act of Parliament, the Canadian Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) was established on November 15, 2002. By November 15 of 2005, NWMO must make a recommendation to the Canadian Government regarding the long term management and disposition of Canada's spent nuclear fuel. NWMO is going to great lengths to integrate technical, societal, and institutional perspectives into its decision making.