INV-08 Regimbald

Successes and Challenges in Implementing
Sustainable Approaches in Canada to Strengthen
the Safety and Security of
Radioactive Sources
Ramzi Jammal
Executive Vice-President and Chief Regulatory Operations
Officer
André Régimbald
Director General
Directorate of Nuclear Substance Regulation
International Conference on the Safety and
Security of Radioactive Sources
27-31 October 2013
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
nuclearsafety.gc.ca
Our Mission
Protect the health, safety and security
of people and the environment; and
implement Canada’s international
commitments on the peaceful use of
nuclear energy
67 years of experience as
Canada’s nuclear regulator!
International Conference on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources – Abu Dhabi 2013
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Independent Commission
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Quasi-judicial administrative tribunal
Independent Commission members
Public meetings
Supported by Secretariat and
independent legal services
• Decisions can only be reviewed by
Federal Court of Canada
Transparent, science-based decision-making
International Conference on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources – Abu Dhabi 2013
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CNSC Regulates All Nuclear-related Facilities
and Activities
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Uranium mines and mills
Uranium fuel fabricators and processing
Nuclear power plants
Waste management facilities
Nuclear substance processing
Industrial and medical applications
Nuclear research and educational
Export/import controls
From cradle to grave
International Conference on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources – Abu Dhabi 2013
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CNSC Staff Located Across Canada
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HQ in Ottawa
5 site offices at power reactors
1 site office at Chalk River
4 regional offices
Staff: ~ 840
Resources: $161.5 m
Licensees: 2,500
Total Licences: 3,300
Calgary, Western
Regional Office
Saskatoon, Uranium Mines
and Mills Division
Regional Office
Point Lepreau
Gentilly-2
Chalk River
HQ
Laval Eastern Regional Office
Bruce A & B
Darlington
Pickering A & B
Mississauga Southern Regional Office
International Conference on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources – Abu Dhabi 2013
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IAEA Code of Conduct and Guidance:
Canadian Implementation
• Canada is a global leader in the manufacture, supply and export
of risk-significant radioactive sources (IAEA Cat 1 & 2)
• Canada is a strong proponent of an effective, efficient and
harmonized international regime to ensure the safety and security
of sources
• Canada was among the first G8 countries to adopt the Code of
Conduct and the Guidance
• Canada successfully implemented sustainable regulatory
framework, programs and processes over the last 10 years
• Canada fully complies with, and surpasses the provisions of the
Code and Guidance
International Conference on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources – Abu Dhabi 2013
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Effective Regulatory Framework
• The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission is Canada’s independent nuclear
regulator under the Nuclear Safety and Control Act
• Clear, pragmatic and comprehensive regulatory framework provide regulatory
oversight of radioactive sealed sources from cradle to grave
• Risk-Informed regulatory approach consistent with risk posed by the regulated
activities – approximately 2,500 licences issued
• Regulatory policy and decision making
• Assigning resources
• Licensing, certification and compliance verification
• Graduated enforcement
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Effective Source Tracking and Recording
• CNSC was the first nuclear regulator among G8 countries to establish
electronic tracking of high-risk sealed sources (Cat 1 and 2)
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national registry for sources of all categories (Cat 1 to 5)
• All licensees have mandatory requirements for tracking and
reporting high-risk sealed sources within short timeframe
• All licensees report annually on their inventory of
all categories of sources (i.e., Category 1 to 5)
• National registry contains information on more than 50,000 sources
• Sealed source tracking system and national registry continually improved
• Compliance verification demonstrates close to 95% licensee compliance
International Conference on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources – Abu Dhabi 2013
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Effective Import and Export Controls
• Full implementation of the Guidance on the Import
and Export of Radioactive Sources for high-risk
sources started in 2007
• Ensures that only authorized persons can receive
high-risk sources
• Prior / post shipment notifications required
• State to state requests for import consent
• Bi-lateral administrative arrangements with core set
of terms, definitions and procedures ensure
harmonized implementation of Code and Guidance
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Effective Security Oversight of Sources
• Enhanced security oversight of high-risk sources
• Increased resources within CNSC
• Risk-informed regulatory strategy
• Prescriptive and performance-based requirements
in place
• New CNSC document REGDOC-2.12.3, Security of Nuclear Substances:
Sealed Sources, published in 2013 – security requirements for storage
and transportation
• Effective harmonization of security and safety requirements minimizes
undue burden on regulated community
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Sustainable Options for End-of-Life Management
• Canada favours recycling and re-use of sources
where possible
• Return to manufacturer
• Transfer to other licensees
• Sources removed from regulatory control if
meeting unconditional clearance levels
• If not possible to recycle or re-use, sources
may be sent to waste management site for
disposal
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Enhanced Oversight of Orphan Sources
• Enhanced regulatory strategy for orphan
source identification and recovery
• Publication of information poster and brochure
• Outreach to steel producers, recycling industry
and waste facilities
• Procedures to detect and manage orphan
sources
• Development of financial guarantees regime
for users of radioactive sources
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Dissemination of Information
• CNSC Web site offers information
on radioactive sources to licensees
and the public :
• Incident/event recording and reporting
• Annual reports on sealed source
tracking and registry
• Annual reports on industry safety
performance
• Guidance on import/export
nuclearsafety.gc.ca
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Challenges
• Improve safety culture in the use of sealed
sources
• Keep track of source data for recycled sources
• Sources received in Canada without prior
shipment notification
• Internal CNSC service delivery for
import/export
• Electronic exchange of information between
national registers and source tracking systems
between countries
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Looking Into the Future
• Additional compliance enforcement tool:
Administrative Monetary Penalties
• Review risk-informed model for compliance
verification
• Transitioning to e-business
• Regulatory improvements
• Improved Web content on CNSC
requirements for Code & Guidance
• Enhanced national registry to retain source
history
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Conclusion
• Canada continues to demonstrate full
commitment to the Code & Guidance
• Canada successfully implemented
sustainable approaches to safety and
security of sealed sources
• Canada supports global efforts to attain
goals established under the Code and
Guidance
• Canada is committed to continued
improvements
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We Will Never Compromise
Safety…
… It’s In Our DNA!
nuclearsafety.gc.ca