Yesterday, Shield Source announced that “the company will not seek a renewal of its Nuclear Substance Processing Facility Operating Licence to process tritium” at its airport location in Peterborough, Ontario. The process will now begin to decommission the facility.
This is a tremendous win for Safe and Green Energy Peterborough, which includes members of the Peterborough-Kawarthas chapter of the Council of Canadians, notably Board member Roy Brady.
In April 2012, the Toronto Sun reported, “Environmental groups say an Ontario company that uses tritium in its products is being cavalier with the radioactive material – and Canada’s nuclear watchdog isn’t doing enough to crack down on the operation. Peterborough-based Shield Source Inc., which manufactures signs with tritium that glows without electricity, is asking the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission for a license renewal and that the licensing period be extended from three to 10 years.”
The Peterborough Examiner added at that time, “Safe and Green Energy Peterborough hosted a panel on the topic of tritium at George Street United Church (on April 11) featuring (nuclear expert and physicist Dr. Gordon) Edwards and fellow expert Dr. Linda Harvey. …(Edwards) says lax federal regulations allow a company such as Peterborough’s Shield Source Inc. to release dangerous levels of radioactive material into the environment.”
Later that month, the Peterborough Examiner reported, “Members of Safe and Green Energy unfurled a 30-foot banner (on Highway 115 on the Airport Road overpass) informing motorists of a radioactive pollution source in Peterborough… ‘You are in the Tritium Zone,’ read the sign draped over the overpass, welcoming drivers. Many honked. ‘We’re here to spread the word,’ said Roy Brady, one of the activists on the overpass.”
By May 2012, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission issued a media release announcing “the cancellation of the one-day public hearing scheduled to take place on May 2, 2012, to consider Shield Source Inc.’s application to renew its Nuclear Substance Processing Facility Operating Licence for its facility located at the Peterborough Municipal Airport, Peterborough, Ontario. …A public hearing will take place at a later date to consider an application by SSI to resume full operation.”
That public hearing never happened and, as noted above, Shield Source withdrew its application today.
Congratulations to everyone involved in this campaign.
For more, please see:
NEWS: Peterborough chapter engaged in fight against tritium pollution
UPDATE: May 2 hearing into Shield Source application delayed
