Independent Environmental Monitoring Program: Nordion (Canada) Inc.

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Nordion (Canada) Inc. (Nordion) is licensed by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) to operate a nuclear substance processing facility, located in Ottawa, Ontario. At this facility, Nordion processes unsealed radioisotopes for health and life sciences applications, and manufactures sealed radiation sources for industrial applications. Nordion has a comprehensive environmental protection program to monitor and control nuclear and hazardous substances released from the site, determine concentrations in the environment, and assess exposure to the public.

The Independent Environmental Monitoring Program (IEMP) results for 2016 and 2018 confirm that the public, Indigenous communities and the environment in the vicinity of Nordion are protected and that there are no expected health or environmental impacts.

Legend

[ ] Guideline/Reference Level

Nordion (Canada) Inc.

Sample Type Sample Description Parameter 2016 2018 Guideline/
Reference Level		 Expected Health Impact (Yes/No) Sample Code
Air Ambient Cesium-137 <0.000058 Bq/m³ <0.000052 Bq/m³ 2.56 Bq/m³ No ND01-A01
Air Ambient Cobalt-60 <0.000060 Bq/m³ <0.000066 Bq/m³ 0.832 Bq/m³ No ND01-A01
Air Ambient Iodine-131 <0.00060 Bq/m³ <0.00067 Bq/m³ 0.228 Bq/m³ No ND01-A01
Soil 0 - 5 cm Cesium-137 N/A 4.2 Bq/kg dry weight 58.6 Bq/kg dry weight No ND01-S01
Soil 0 - 5 cm Cobalt-60 N/A <1.2 Bq/kg dry weight 14 Bq/kg dry weight No ND01-S01
Soil 0 - 5 cm Iodine-131 N/A <3.6 Bq/kg dry weight 63 Bq/kg fresh weight No ND01-S01
Soil 5 - 10 cm Cesium-137 2.7 Bq/kg dry weight N/A 58.6 Bq/kg dry weight No ND01-S01
Soil 5 - 10 cm Cobalt-60 <1.3 Bq/kg dry weight N/A 14 Bq/kg dry weight No ND01-S01
Air Ambient Cesium-137 <0.000058 Bq/m³ <0.000052 Bq/m³ 2.56 Bq/m³ No ND02-A02
Air Ambient Cobalt-60 <0.000060 Bq/m³ <0.000066 Bq/m³ 0.832 Bq/m³ No ND02-A02
Air Ambient Iodine-131 <0.00060 Bq/m³ <0.00067 Bq/m³ 0.228 Bq/m³ No ND02-A02
Soil 0 - 5 cm Cesium-137 N/A 5.0 Bq/kg dry weight 58.6 Bq/kg dry weight No ND02-S02
Soil 0 - 5 cm Cobalt-60 N/A <1.2 Bq/kg dry weight 14 Bq/kg dry weight No ND02-S02
Soil 0 - 5 cm Iodine-131 N/A <3.6 Bq/kg dry weight 63 Bq/kg fresh weight No ND02-S02
Soil 5 - 10 cm Cesium-137 5.5 Bq/kg dry weight N/A 58.6 Bq/kg dry weight No ND02-S02
Soil 5 - 10 cm Cobalt-60 <1.3 Bq/kg dry weight N/A 14 Bq/kg dry weight No ND02-S02
Air Ambient Cesium-137 <0.000058 Bq/m³ <0.000052 Bq/m³ 2.56 Bq/m³ No ND03-A03
Air Ambient Cobalt-60 <0.000060 Bq/m³ <0.000066 Bq/m³ 0.832 Bq/m³ No ND03-A03
Air Ambient Iodine-131 <0.00060 Bq/m³ <0.00067 Bq/m³ 0.228 Bq/m³ No ND03-A03
Soil 0 - 5 cm Cesium-137 N/A 2.6 Bq/kg dry weight 58.6 Bq/kg dry weight No ND03-S03
Soil 0 - 5 cm Cobalt-60 N/A <1.2 Bq/kg dry weight 14 Bq/kg dry weight No ND03-S03
Soil 0 - 5 cm Iodine-131 N/A <3.6 Bq/kg dry weight 63 Bq/kg fresh weight No ND03-S03
Soil 5 - 10 cm Cesium-137 1.5 Bq/kg dry weight N/A 58.6 Bq/kg dry weight No ND03-S03
Soil 5 - 10 cm Cobalt-60 <1.3 Bq/kg dry weight N/A 14 Bq/kg dry weight No ND03-S03
Sediment 0 - 5 cm Cesium-137 2.2 Bq/kg dry weight <0.9 Bq/kg dry weight 37300 Bq/kg dry weight No ND04-S04
Sediment 0 - 5 cm Cobalt-60 <1.3 Bq/kg dry weight <1.2 Bq/kg dry weight 5870 Bq/kg dry weight No ND04-S04
Sediment 0 - 5 cm Iodine-131 N/A <3.6 Bq/kg dry weight N/A No ND04-S04
Water Surface Water pH 7.86 N/A 6.5-9.0 No ND04-W01
Water Surface Water Gross Alpha - N/A 0.5 Bq/L No ND04-W01
Water Surface Water Gross Beta - N/A 1 Bq/L No ND04-W01
Water Surface Water Cesium-137 <0.24 Bq/L <0.25 Bq/L 10 Bq/L No ND04-W01
Water Surface Water Cobalt-60 <0.28 Bq/L <0.27 Bq/L 12.1 Bq/L No ND04-W01
Water Surface Water Iodine-131 N/A <0.61 Bq/L 6 Bq/L No ND04-W01
Water Surface Water Total Dissolved Solids 636 mg/L N/A 500 mg/L No ND04-W01
Water Surface Water Total Suspended Solids 15.4 mg/L N/A N/A No ND04-W01
Sediment 0 - 5 cm Cesium-137 1.7 Bq/kg dry weight <0.9 Bq/kg dry weight 37300 Bq/kg dry weight No ND05-S05
Sediment 0 - 5 cm Cobalt-60 <1.3 Bq/kg dry weight <1.2 Bq/kg dry weight 5870 Bq/kg dry weight No ND05-S05
Sediment 0 - 5 cm Iodine-131 N/A <3.6 Bq/kg dry weight N/A No ND05-S05
Water Surface Water pH 7.72 N/A 6.5-9.0 No ND05-W02
Water Surface Water Gross Alpha - N/A 0.5 Bq/L No ND05-W02
Water Surface Water Gross Beta - N/A 1 Bq/L No ND05-W02
Water Surface Water Cesium-137 <0.24 Bq/L <0.25 Bq/L 10 Bq/L No ND05-W02
Water Surface Water Cobalt-60 <0.28 Bq/L <0.27 Bq/L 12.1 Bq/L No ND05-W02
Water Surface Water Iodine-131 N/A <0.61 Bq/L 6 Bq/L No ND05-W02
Water Surface Water Total Dissolved Solids 624 mg/L N/A 500 mg/L No ND05-W02
Water Surface Water Total Suspended Solids 9.0 mg/L N/A N/A No ND05-W02
Sediment 0 - 5 cm Cesium-137 <0.9 Bq/kg dry weight 2.9 Bq/kg dry weight 37300 Bq/kg dry weight No ND06-S06
Sediment 0 - 5 cm Cobalt-60 <1.3 Bq/kg dry weight <1.2 Bq/kg dry weight 5870 Bq/kg dry weight No ND06-S06
Sediment 0 - 5 cm Iodine-131 N/A <3.6 Bq/kg dry weight N/A No ND06-S06
Water Surface Water pH 7.77 N/A 6.5-9.0 No ND06-W03
Water Surface Water Gross Alpha - N/A 0.5 Bq/L No ND06-W03
Water Surface Water Gross Beta - N/A 1 Bq/L No ND06-W03
Water Surface Water Cesium-137 <0.24 Bq/L <0.25 Bq/L 10 Bq/L No ND06-W03
Water Surface Water Cobalt-60 <0.28 Bq/L <0.27 Bq/L 12.1 Bq/L No ND06-W03
Water Surface Water Iodine-131 N/A <0.61 Bq/L 6 Bq/L No ND06-W03
Water Surface Water Total Dissolved Solids 647 mg/L N/A 500 mg/L No ND06-W03
Water Surface Water Total Suspended Solids 4.6 mg/L N/A N/A No ND06-W03
Water Surface Water Gross Alpha N/A <0.01 Bq/L 0.5 Bq/L No ND07-W04
Water Surface Water Gross Beta N/A <0.02 Bq/L 1 Bq/L No ND07-W04
Water Surface Water Cesium-137 N/A <0.25 Bq/L 10 Bq/L No ND07-W04
Water Surface Water Cobalt-60 N/A <0.27 Bq/L 12.1 Bq/L No ND07-W04
Water Surface Water Iodine-131 N/A <0.61 Bq/L 6 Bq/L No ND07-W04
Sediment 0 - 5 cm Cesium-137 N/A 1.2 Bq/kg dry weight 37300 Bq/kg dry weight No ND08-S08
Sediment 0 - 5 cm Cobalt-60 N/A <1.2 Bq/kg dry weight 5870 Bq/kg dry weight No ND08-S08
Sediment 0 - 5 cm Iodine-131 N/A <3.6 Bq/kg dry weight N/A No ND08-S08
Water Surface Water Gross Alpha N/A N/A 0.5 Bq/L No ND08-W05
Water Surface Water Gross Beta N/A N/A 1 Bq/L No ND08-W05
Water Surface Water Cesium-137 N/A <0.25 Bq/L 10 Bq/L No ND08-W05
Water Surface Water Cobalt-60 N/A <0.27 Bq/L 12.1 Bq/L No ND08-W05
Water Surface Water Iodine-131 N/A <0.61 Bq/L 6 Bq/L No ND08-W05
Sediment 0 - 5 cm Cesium-137 N/A 2.3 Bq/kg dry weight 37300 Bq/kg dry weight No ND09-S09
Sediment 0 - 5 cm Cobalt-60 N/A <1.2 Bq/kg dry weight 5870 Bq/kg dry weight No ND09-S09
Sediment 0 - 5 cm Iodine-131 N/A <3.6 Bq/kg dry weight N/A No ND09-S09
Water Surface Water Gross Alpha N/A N/A 0.5 Bq/L No ND09-W06
Water Surface Water Gross Beta N/A N/A 1 Bq/L No ND09-W06
Water Surface Water Cesium-137 N/A <0.25 Bq/L 10 Bq/L No ND09-W06
Water Surface Water Cobalt-60 N/A <0.27 Bq/L 12.1 Bq/L No ND09-W06
Water Surface Water Iodine-131 N/A <0.61 Bq/L 6 Bq/L No ND09-W06
Sediment 0 - 5 cm Cesium-137 N/A 6.9 Bq/kg dry weight 37300 Bq/kg dry weight No ND10-S10
Sediment 0 - 5 cm Cobalt-60 N/A <1.2 Bq/kg dry weight 5870 Bq/kg dry weight No ND10-S10
Sediment 0 - 5 cm Iodine-131 N/A <3.6 Bq/kg dry weight N/A No ND10-S10
Water Surface Water Gross Alpha N/A N/A 0.5 Bq/L No ND10-W07
Water Surface Water Gross Beta N/A N/A 1 Bq/L No ND10-W07
Water Surface Water Cesium-137 N/A <0.25 Bq/L 10 Bq/L No ND10-W07
Water Surface Water Cobalt-60 N/A <0.27 Bq/L 12.1 Bq/L No ND10-W07
Water Surface Water Iodine-131 N/A <0.61 Bq/L 6 Bq/L No ND10-W07
Sediment 0 - 5 cm Cesium-137 N/A <0.9 Bq/kg dry weight 37300 Bq/kg dry weight No ND11-S11
Sediment 0 - 5 cm Cobalt-60 N/A <1.2 Bq/kg dry weight 5870 Bq/kg dry weight No ND11-S11
Sediment 0 - 5 cm Iodine-131 N/A <3.6 Bq/kg dry weight N/A No ND11-S11

1 The < symbol indicates that a result is below the provided laboratory analytical detection limit.

2 N/A – not available

Background

CNSC staff collecting water samples near Nordion in 2018.

Under the Nuclear Safety and Control Act (NSCA), licensees of nuclear facilities are required to implement an environmental monitoring program to demonstrate that the public, Indigenous communities and the environment are protected from emissions related to the facility's nuclear activities. The results of these monitoring programs are submitted to the CNSC to ensure compliance with applicable guidelines and limits, as set out in regulations that oversee Canada's nuclear industry.

The CNSC has implemented its IEMP to verify that the public, Indigenous communities and the environment around licensed nuclear facilities are protected. It is separate from, but complementary to, the CNSC's ongoing compliance verification program. The IEMP involves taking samples from public areas around the facilities, and measuring and analyzing the amount of radioactive and hazardous substances in those samples. CNSC staff collect the samples and send them to the CNSC's state-of-the-art laboratory for testing and analysis. The area outside of the Nordion facility site perimeter was sampled in 2016 and 2018.

2016 and 2018 results

The 2016 and 2018 IEMP sampling plans for Nordion focused on radioactive substances. A site-specific sampling plan was developed based on the licensee's approved environmental monitoring program and the CNSC's regulatory experience with the site. In June 2016 and May 2018, CNSC staff collected air, soil, sediment and water samples in publicly accessible areas outside the Nordion facility perimeter. The levels of radioactivity measured in air, soil, sediment and water were below available guidelines.

Conclusions

The IEMP results indicate that the public, Indigenous communities and the environment in the vicinity of the Nordion facility are protected and that there are no expected health impacts. These results are consistent with the results submitted by Nordion, demonstrating that the licensee's environmental protection program protects the health and safety of people and the environment.

To obtain the full technical IEMP reports, contact us at cnsc.info.ccsn@cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca or call 613-995-5894 or 1-800-668-5284 (in Canada). Please provide the name of the facility and the report year.

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