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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPSD-106-06 ClY!.-!lJgton REPORT PLANNING SERVICES Meeting: GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE Date: Monday, October 2,2006 Report #: PSD-106-06 File #: PLN 33.4 GPA ~ 3b;)~O,(, . . By-law #: Subject: MUNICIPAL ACCEPTANCE OF CLEAN-UP CRITERIA FOR THE PORT HOPE AREA INITIATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS: It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend to Council the following: 1. THAT Report PSD-106-06 be received; 2. THAT Council concur with the Municipal Peer Review Team's conclusions with respect to the Clean-up Criteria Document for the Port Hope Area Initiative; 3. THAT Council authorize the Municipal Peer Review Team to sign the Comment and Disposition Form for the Clean-up Criteria Document on behalf of the Municipality of Clarington; 4. THAT a copy of Council's decision be forwarded to all interested parties indicated in this report. Submitted by: Da Id Direct ReViewedbQ~~ Franklin Wu Chief Administrative Officer JAS*FL *DJC*df 21 September 2006 CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON 40 TEMPERANCE STREET, BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO L 1C 3A6 T (905)623-3379 F (905) 623-0830 REPORT NO.: PSD-106-06 PAGE 2 1.0 PURPOSE OF REPORT 1.1 The purpose of this report is to present to Committee and Council, the results of the Municipal Peer Review Team's review of the "Clean-up Criteria Document for the Port Hope Area Initiative" as it pertains to the Port Granby Waste Management Facility. 2.0 BACKGROUND 2.1 The Port Hope Area Initiative, which consists of the Port Granby Project and the Port Hope Project, is intended to clean-up and provide for the safe long term management of the historic low level radioactive waste originating from the processing of radium and uranium at the former Eldorado plant in Port Hope. These materials were deposited at the Port Granby Waste Management Facility in Clarington, and in various locations throughout the Municipality of Port Hope, including the former Township of Hope. The preferred options for each Project involves excavating the waste and storing it in a new engineered storage mound located in each respective Municipality. The waste includes both radioactive and non-radioactive contaminants. 2.2 The Legal Agreement between the Government of Canada, Clarington and Port Hope, does not detail the specific criteria that would guide the clean-up of the contaminated sites, including the existing Port Granby Waste Management Facility. Rather, the Agreement states that "Canada shall clean up properties contaminated with Historic Low-Level Radioactive Waste so that all such properties will be able to be used for all current and foreseeable unrestricted uses." 2.3 At the time the Agreement was signed, it was intended that the clean-up criteria for the Port Hope Area Initiative would be based on criteria to be developed by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) that would form the basis for all regulatory decisions in regard to radioactively contaminated sites in Canada. However, the CNSC subsequently clarified that the Commission would not develop the clean-up criteria, but would review and, as appropriate, approve the criteria. Accordingly, the signatories to the Agreement agreed on a co-operative process to develop specific clean-up criteria for the Port Hope Area Initiative. This process primarily involved the Low Level Radioactive Waste Management Office (LLRWMO) and the two municipalities, with significant input also being provided by Natural Resources Canada, Health Canada, the CNSC, and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. 2.4 The public was also consulted on the development of the clean-up criteria. An information session on clean-up criteria and human health and safety was held at the Newtonville Community Hall in November 2004. Additional information sessions were also held in Port Hope. Information on the human health and safety effects of the Port Granby Project, which is directly related to clean-up criteria, was presented to the public at an Open House in January 2005, and through the presentation of the draft Environmental Assessment Study Report at an Open House in February 2005. These Open Houses were all held in Newtonville. 2.5 Due to the highly technical nature of the clean-up criteria discussions, the Municipalities relied heavily on the technical expertise provided by the Municipal Peer Review Team led by Hardy Stevenson and Associates. From January 2004 to June 2006, the Peer REPORT NO.: PSD-106-06 PAGE 3 Review Team reviewed many drafts of the Clean-Up Criteria Document. Their comments, as well as the LLRWMO's responses, are itemized in the Peer Review Comment and Disposition Form. 2.6 The Peer Review Team has prepared a report for the Municipality in which they advise that they are satisfied with the Clean-Up Criteria Document for the Port Hope Area Initiative as it pertains to the Port Granby Waste Management Facility. They are prepared to sign the Comment and Disposition Form for the Clean-up Criteria Document. By signing this document, the Peer Review Team will be indicating that it agrees with the LLRWMO's disposition of their comments and with the proposed clean- up criteria for the Port Hope Area Initiative. 2.7 A copy of the Peer Review Team's report forms Attachment 2 to this report. The Comment and Disposition Form is available for review in the Planning Services Department. 3.0 STAFF COMMENTS 3.1 The report prepared by the Peer Review Team, as well as their presentation to Committee, will provide details regarding the process by which the clean-up criteria were developed, what the criteria mean for the environment and the health and safety of area residents, and how the criteria will be applied in the actual excavation of the waste. However, it is appropriate in the staff report to highlight a number of issues that were key to the process of developing the clean-up criteria for the Port Hope Area Initiative, including the Port Granby Project. 3.2 Passive Recreational End Use 3.2.1 As noted earlier, the Legal Agreement requires contaminated sites to be cleaned-up so that they may be used for all foreseeable future uses. Determining the end uses for the Port Granby site once the waste has been removed is an important issue in the development and application of appropriate clean-up criteria. 3.2.2 In 1999, at the time Council endorsed the original concept for the long term management of the Port Granby wastes, Council's resolution indicated that "appropriate portions of the Port Granby site should be designed for natural heritage and passive recreational purposes possibly including the Waterfront Trail…". Given Council's position and the fact that the site will remain under licence from the CNSC for an undetermined period of time, the use of the remediated site for passive recreational purposes was assumed in the development and application of criteria. 3.3 Extent of Clean-Up of the Port Granby Waste Management Facility 3.3.1 The protection of human health and safety and the natural environment were paramount considerations in the development of the clean-up criteria. In this regard, the clean-up of the existing Port Granby waste facility is intended to restore the site to a condition that is safe for use as publicly-accessible open space. Criteria to achieve this use were developed for both radioactive and non-radioactive contaminants. REPORT NO.: PSD-106-06 PAGE 4 3.3.2 The criteria for radioactive contaminants in soil are based on nationally and internationally accepted standards and were derived from a maximum total incremental dose constraint of 0.3 mSv/year above background. This dose limit will apply to public exposure during and after the construction phase of the Port Granby Project, and represents 30% of the regulated dose constraint of 1mSv/year developed by the CNSC for licensed nuclear facilities. (A mSv (milliSievert) is a measure of equivalent or effective dose of radiation used at low doses or dose rates). The typical annual dose equivalent for residents of Clarington from all sources (natural and man-made such as dental x-rays) is 2.6 mSv/year, while the Canadian average is 3.0 mSv/year. Based on this dose criterion, concentration criteria for radionuclides in soil were developed in two categories – sites without development constraints and sites with developments constraints. The Port Granby site would fall into the latter category for reasons discussed earlier. 3.3.3 The criteria for non-radioactive contaminants developed for the Port Hope Area Initiative are for the most part based on criteria developed by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment for two land use conditions (residential/parkland/institutional and industrial/ commercial/community land uses). The proposed clean-up criteria represent total values inclusive of background levels to ensure that the criteria for non-radioactive contaminants fall below total concentration thresholds for ecological and human health effects. 3.3.4 A number of factors are to be considered in determining the appropriate level to which the existing Port Granby waste facility should be cleaned up. These include the intended end use (passive recreational with no residential uses permitted), the fact that the site will remain under the control of the Government of Canada for an undetermined length of time, and contamination migration at the site. 3.3.5 Given these factors, it is considered that clean-up criteria for radionuclides based on the “site with development” assumption and for non-radioactive contaminants based on the Ministry of Environment’s criteria for industrial/commercial/community land uses would ensure that ecological and human health would be protected while permitting the remediated site to be used for passive recreational purposes. As such, the application of these clean-up criteria would achieve Council's objective of creating publicly- accessible open space while minimizing the impact on the local community. 3.4 Flushing of Residual Contamination in Groundwater 3.4.1 Most of the significantly contaminated groundwater plumes at the existing Port Granby site will be remediated through the removal of the waste. Experience has shown that some areas of residual groundwater contamination will remain after the waste has been removed. 3.4.2 The contaminated groundwater in the plumes will be treated over time through a flushing process and the operation of facilities to collect and treat the contamination. The period of groundwater flushing is undetermined but may extend over several decades. These measures are not expected to immediately remediate groundwater quality to permit the use of the groundwater for domestic purposes. However, this is not expected to cause any difficulties given that groundwater from the site is not expected to be used for residential purposes. REPORT NO.: PSD-106-06 PAGE 5 4.0CONCLUSIONS 4.1 The development and acceptance of the clean-up criteria marks a key milestone in the Port Hope Area Initiative, and represents the culmination of many years of co-operative effort by the Municipalities of Clarington and Port Hope and the LLRWMO. In this regard, the Municipal Peer Review Team played a critical role in ensuring that the Municipality's interests and the health and safety of its residents are protected. 4.2 It is also important to note that both Port Hope Council and CNSC staff have accepted the clean-up criteria. Attachments: Attachment 1 - Glossary of Terms Attachment 2 - Municipal Peer Review Team Report List of interested parties to be advised of Council's decision: Sharon Baillie-Malo Gerry Mahoney and Bonnie McFarlane Glenn Case Andrew McCreath Michael Ayer & Julie Jones Joanne McNamara Vito Binetti Rupert McNeill Wayne Boucher Lorri and Stuart Munro Ray Coakwell and Frances Brooks Tim and Laurel Nichols Walter Burman Dora Nichols Rosemary Cooper Carole Owens Marion and Stuart DeCoste Garfield Payne Frederic DeSourdy James B. Robertson Robert Edgar Linda and Paul Ryerse Mel Edwards Sarwan Sahota Wilma Entwisle Ken Shrives Gord and Penny Ewington Barb Spencer Betty and Stephanie Formosa John Stephenson Paulette Gerber Brian and Penny Stripp Lori Graham Rob & Kim Studt Frank Hart Midori Tanabe Luanne Hill and Mike Mamonko Harvey Thompson Susan Kinmond Rosemary Tisnovsky Maria Kordas - Fraser Stan Tisnovsky Jane Lawrence Julie Tutla Brian Layng Richard Walker Eric Leeuwner Mary and Harry Worrall GLOSSARY OF TERMS CNSC Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission LLRWMO Low Level Radioactive Waste Management Office mSv MilliSievert – A unit of equivalent or effective dose of radiation at low doses. Attachment 2 To Report PSD-106-06 HARDY ~._--------_. STEVENSON AND ASSOCIATES ....._~--_._--_._--_.__.~._..._._._... .............m.._.._._......___......_....._......._~._.........._..___.............__...__.m..__...... SUBJECT: PEER REVIEW TEAM CONCLUSIONS REGARDING THE PROPOSED CLEANUP CRITERIA FOR THE PORT HOPE AREA INITIATIVE Recommendation That Council concur with the Municipal Peer Review Team's findings with respect to the Port Hope Area Initiative Cleanup Criteria Document as it pertains to the Port Granby Waste Management Facility, and with the Peer Review Team's intent to sign the Comment and Disposition Form for that document. Purpose of Report The purpose of this report is to provide Clarington Council with the results of the Municipal Peer Review Team's review of the Cleanup Criteria Document as it pertains to the Port Granby Waste Management Facility, and to obtain Council's concurrence prior to the peer review team signing the Comment / Disposition form for the Cleanup Criteria Document. By signing the Comment / Disposition Form, the peer review team will indicate that it agrees with the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Office (LLRWMO) disposition of the peer review team's comments and the proposed cleanup criteria for the Port Hope Area Initiative. Background Cleanup criteria are required for the Port Granby waste management facility so that it could be remediated and used for passive recreational uses consistent with Council's resolution from 1999, while minimizing the impact on the local community to the extent possible. This resolution recommended to the federal government "that appropriate portions of Port Granby site be designed for natural heritage and passive recreational purposes possibly including the Waterfront TraiL..". This objective has been the key consideration in the development of the cleanup criteria for the Port Granby site. Peer Review Team Conclusions - Cleanup Criteria Page 1 Cleanup criteria are also required for the Long-Term Waste Management Facility to ensure that it meets end use requirements. Cleanup criteria are used to identify waste materials, areas of contamination and waste volumes and thus establish the level of cleanup of soils and groundwater for the Port Granby Project. The criteria have been developed through a co-operative effort of the LLRWMO, the Municipalities of Port Hope and Clarington, members of the public, and various government agencies (particularly Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Natural Resources Canada, Health Canada and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission) and are summarized in the cleanup criteria document. The criteria apply to various contaminants of potential concern (COPCs) for low-level radioactive waste relevant to the Port Hope Area Initiative including the Port Granby Waste Management Facility. The Legal Agreement (Schedule 2) anticipated that the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) would establish the cleanup criteria for the Port Hope Area Initiative in consultation with the LLRWMO and the Municipalities. Subsequent to the signing of the Legal Agreement, the CNSC clarified that the Commission would not develop these criteria for cleanup; rather the Commission would review and, as appropriate, approve the criteria. The LLRWMO entered into discussions with the Municipalities of Port Hope and Clarington to reach agreement on cleanup criteria. The LLRWMO conducted specific scientific analysis to determine human health and ecological risk resulting from specific criteria where standards currently do not exist. The CNSC and other federal and provincial agencies have reviewed and commented on the criteria proposed by the LLRWMO. The Peer Review Team has also reviewed the cleanup criteria and has had numerous discussions with the LLR WMO on the criteria and their application. The Peer Review Team's focus was to ensure that: . The cleanup is done 'right' for now and for the future; . The Cleanup Principles (See Attachment 1) will be achieved; . The Port Granby site will be available for recreation and related purposes after the cleanup is completed; and . There will be municipal oversight during the cleanup. The Legal Agreement does not require the consent of the Municipalities regarding the cleanup criteria. However, consultation with the Municipalities is required and the LLRWMO, as the Project proponent, is to address any concerns of the Municipalities before the document is submitted for final review by the relevant authorities. Peer Review Team Conclusions - Cleanup Criteria Page 2 The Principles In September 2004 the Municipalities and the LLRWMO (with the concurrence of Natural Resources Canada) reached agreement on Principles to Guide the Process and to guide the development of cleanup criteria. These Principles were distributed to the public and received support. A copy of the statement of Principles is attached (Attachment 1). The general principles used in guiding the development of cleanup criteria are: . Properties contaminated with historic low-level radioactive waste shall be cleaned up to permit full enjoyment and use of these properties. Such uses include vegetable gardens, play areas, recreational uses and home construction. . Cleaned up properties can be used for all current and foreseeable unrestricted uses. . The Legal Agreement shall be adhered to throughout the development and application of cleanup criteria for the Port Hope Area Initiative. . Cleanup criteria shall meet or exceed the requirements of Canadian regulators (e.g. Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, Ontario Ministry of the Environment, etc.). . Consultation with the public, the municipalities, and federal and provincial agencies shall be conducted during the development of cleanup criteria. . Cleanup criteria shall consider all pathways to human health and the environment. Under the general principles, several special circumstances are listed for consideration and the following are of interest to Port Granby Waste Management Facility. . Specific cleanup criteria will be developed to reflect anticipated (foreseeable) future land uses for certain properties within the scope of the Port Hope Area Initiative. Existing Port Granby site is cited as an example of this circumstance. . Cleanup criteria shall reflect special groundwater circumstances. The completion of the cleanup at some sites could require continued environmental monitoring and treatment of groundwater for a period of time before conditions are such that the foreseeable unrestricted use for particular site would come into effect. This circumstance will also apply to the existing Port Granby site. . The Port Hope and Port Granby Long-Term Waste Management Facilities shall continue to be monitored and will remain under the care and control of Canada for the long-term (i.e. hundreds of years). Design and development of long-term waste term waste management facilities willfocus on community-defined end-uses. Therefore, site-specific cleanup criteria should apply to their sites in accordance with their end-use (e.g. passive/active recreation, etc.). Peer Review Team Conclusions - Cleanup Criteria Page 3 The Port Granby site cleanup will take into consideration these special circumstances, particularly over the long term as time will be required to complete flushing of groundwater contaminants at the existing site. The Cleanup Criteria The LLRWMO developed cleanup criteria for the historic low-level radioactive waste (LLR W) cleanup in Port Hope and Clarington and the cleanup of specified industrial waste sites in Port Hope. Specific criteria were developed which are suitable for special circumstances as well. The historic LLRW includes all of the wastes arising from the processing of radium and uranium by Eldorado until 1988, which were deposited at the Port Granby waste management facility (from 1955 to 1988) and various sites in Port Hope (until 1955). During the initial years of operation radioactive wastes and marginally contaminated soils were deposited at the west end of the East Gorge. Industrial waste, including scrap equipment, rubble, drums and mixed soils from remedial works were dumped in the West Gorge. After the 1960s the majority of the wastes were buried in trenches on the plateau area between and to the north of the two gorges. Based on extensive analysis of soil samples, historic LLRW is known to invariably consist of certain key elements (uranium, arsenic, thorium-230 and radium-226) which provide a 'waste signature' by which the presence ofLLRW contamination can be identified. By cleaning up the four contaminants associated with Eldorado waste, other contaminants of potential concern in the LLR W will also be captured. Verification will include a complete sweep ofCOPCs in the LLRW. Criteria for radioactive contaminants in soils are based on a project-applied dose constraint of 0.3 mSv/a above background. A mSV (milli-Sievert) refers to one- thousandth of a Sievert, a unit of equivalent or effective radiation dose. This dose constraint is considered protective of human health as it represents 30% of the 1 mSv/a dose limit set by the CNSC for the protection of members of the public. The dose constraint provides a target for deriving radionuclide concentration criteria for soil. In addition to specific regulatory requirements, the LLRWMO is committed to cleaning up the site to an As Low As Reasonably Achievable ("ALARA") condition, social and environmental factors taken into account. Cleanup of soils to meet the criteria will almost certainly result in incremental doses that are much below 0.3 mSv/a, and will generally approach zero because the excavated soils will be replaced with clean fill. Staff and the Peer Review Team have also reached agreement with the LLRWMO that additional soils that are below criteria will be removed, where practical and necessary, enhancing the cleanup. For non-radioactive COPCs, the recommended criteria for soils affected by LLRW are generally determined on the basis of the Ontario Ministry of the Environment (MaE) generic soil standards for residential land use as provided in Soil, Ground Water and Sediment Standards for Use Under Part XV.l of the Environmental Protection Act. In locations where constraints will prevent residential development from occurring in the Peer Review Team Conclusions - Cleanup Criteria Page 4 future (e.g., the proposed long term waste management facility site in Port Granby), the MOE generic soil standards for industrial Icommercialland use will apply. Based on the considerations discussed above, the cleanup criteria will ensure that: . The remediated sites (the Long-Term Waste Management Facility site and the Port Granby Waste Management Facility site) will be safe for recreational use and safe for non-human biota; . They are consistent with Council's objective that the sites could be used for passive recreational uses; . V olumes of material to be moved would not be unnecessarily excessive, minimizing impact on the local community such as in terms of construction time and transportation; and . Council's objective of keeping the impact on the local community to a minimum would be met. The proposed soil criteria for radioactive and non-radioactive copes are based on a detailed scientific information base developed by the Ministry of the Environment and the LLRWMO and are considered protective of both human and ecological receptors. Table I provides Proposed Criteria for certain primary Contaminants of Potential Concern in Soil for key radioactive contaminants (radium-226 and thorium-230), uranium and arsenic for circumstances where development constraints will apply, such as will occur at the existing Port Granby Waste Management Facility. The cleanup criteria document provides comprehensive tables of cleanup criteria for radioactive and non- radioactive COPCs required for Port Granby including soil, groundwater and surface water, radon and criteria for decontamination of contaminated objects and materials encountered in the project. Certain key COPCs Radium 226 (Bq/g) Thorium 230 (Bq/g) Arsenic m Uranium (ppm) Note: Bq signifies a standard international unit of radioactivity equal to one radioactive disintegration per second. The remediation of any groundwater contamination in Port Granby will be accomplished by the removal of the contaminated soils (the source of the groundwater contamination) and natural attenuation. Contaminated groundwater will be treated during remediation Peer Review Team Conclusions - Cleanup Criteria Page 5 where the contaminated soils are located below the water table. The Port Granby site will need to be monitored however over a number of decades to confirm that flushing of contaminants is adequately achieved and any restrictions on groundwater use can be removed. At the existing Port Granby site, the foreseeable use is recreational. The peer review team acknowledges that cleanup to residential criteria or background levels is not necessary for this site which would result in larger community impacts in terms of construction and transportation. The cleanup of the existing Waste Management Facility involves the excavation and relocation of approximately 430,000 m3 of waste. After being cleaned up it will take several decades for contamination to dissipate or flush from the groundwater at the existing Waste Management Facility following the removal of this waste, during which time some uses of the site will be restricted. The site will continue to be under the control of the Government of Canada even after the cleanup has occurred. Because the LLRWMO is excavating and relocating the waste at the existing Waste Management Facility to the Long Term Waste Management Facility, it does not intend to stabilize the shoreline at the existing site. Depending on the rate of regression of the bluffs, there may be exposure to contaminants in soils that are left in place after the cleanup is done. While there will continue to be limited access to the bluffs, and minimal opportunities for exposure to these soils, the MPRT expects to see further analysis to confirm that there is no health risk to individuals who are walking along the bluffs. As suggested above, this analysis should occur before the remedial work is undertaken since the outcome of such analysis could influence measures taken for the long term monitoring of the bluffs. Supporting Documents for Cleanup Criteria The LLR WMO is preparing a series of supporting documents for the Cleanup Criteria Document that provide additional details about how all of the Port Hope Area Initiative sites including the Port Granby site will be remediated. These documents include: . Waste Excavation Management Plans, which outline the methodology for remediating the site, including mitigation and monitoring measures . . Application of ALARA, which describes the decision-making process to extend remediation beyond safe residual levels . Environmental Management Plans for avoiding or minimizing impacts to air / water / soil at each site and for monitoring for COPCs . Property files, which describe the results of the physical survey, gamma radiation survey, contamination survey, and indoor radon analysis Peer Review Team Conclusions - Cleanup Criteria Page 6 . Operational Criteria, which establish concentrations of contaminant limits to workers and the public at the Long Term Waste Management Facilities and excavation sites . Verification Methodology, which involves a resurvey scre.ening of properties and a statistical review of residual concentrations on completion of remediation . Outline of municipal and community monitoring I oversight in the cleanup process. Key Accomplishments from the Peer Review and Municipal Involvement The peer review of the draft documents and discussions with the LLRWMO have resulted in a better understanding of the federal government approach and municipal requirements pertaining to cleanup criteria. The Ieview was conducted over a period of two years and entailed a review of a number of research documents and regulatory standards and technical sessions with the LLRWMO culminating in a Comment Disposition Form ("CD Form"). The CD Form documents the detailed discussions and agreements (Attachment 2). Next Steps The LLR WMO is preparing various supporting documents discussed above which will address how the cleanup criteria are to be applied. The Peer Review Team will review these documents when they are available over the next few months to ensure that the application of the criteria will be consistent with the Principles and review any special circumstances and Municipal consideration required with regard to the application of the criteria. Key Conclusions of the Peer Review The LLRWMO has finalized the cleanup criteria for the Port Hope Area Initiative, including the existing Port Granby Waste Management Facility. These criteria are proposed for guiding remediation work with respect to radioactive and non-radioactive contaminants of potential concern in soil, ground water and surface water at the contaminated sites. The Peer Review Team is satisfied that the criteria proposed are protective of human and ecological receptors and are compatible with an end use that permits recreational uses. The peer review team concludes, based on its review of the Cleanup Criteria Document and discussions with the LLR WMO that the document and the cleanup criteria proposed therein for the Port Granby site are appropriate and consistent with the Council objectives and the Principles. The Peer Review Team is satisfied that the extent of remediation (i.e. Peer Review Team Conclusions - Cleanup Criteria Page 7 special circumstances consideration) is adequate in meeting Council objectives and Principles and minimizing community impacts from construction and transportation. Taking into account special circumstances and provisions pertaining to the Long-Term Waste Management Facility and the existing Port Granby Waste Management Facility site, these sites will be cleaned up to allow current and foreseeable uses consistent with their anticipated end use and long-term care and control. Peer Review Team Conclusions - Cleanup Criteria Page 8 ;;!J.Polrr~ /' PROJECI September 2006 Cleanup Process: From Principles to Practice Tlte Government of Canada and the municipalitie,fj; are committed to the long-term protection of the eIIvironment and the health and safe(v of the residents o/Claringto" and Port Hope. Under the Port Hope Area Initiative, historic low-level radioactive waste management facilities and all properties contaminated with low-level radioactive waste as a result of historic radium and uranium processing operations in Port Hope will be cleaned up. The waste and contaminated soils will be safely managed in new long-term above-ground mound facilities for hundreds of years. Existing low-level radioactive waste management facilities in both Port Hope and Clarington will be relocated and safely managed in new facilities for hundreds of years into the future. The clean-up and local long-term management of historic low-level radioactive waste now found in the Municipalities of Clarington and Port Hope was addressed in a legal agreement finalized in March 2001, between Canada and the municipalities. As part of the Port Hope Area Initiative, the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Office (LLRWMO) has undertaken detailed environmental studies of the proposed Port Granby and Port Hope Long- Term Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Projects, on behalf of the federal government. Criteria for the clean-up of contaminated sites are fundamental to the Port Hope Area Initiative. These criteria address the question, "When is a property clean?" Principles to guide the cleanup process were developed jointly by the municipalities and the federal government. The Principles recognize the inherent differences in the Port Hope and Clarington projects and consider the "special circumstances" related to the proposed new above-ground mound facility in Clarington and the potential future uses of the existing Port Granby Waste Management Facility once remediation is complete. The purpose of tile Port Graflby Long-Term Low-Level Radioactive ~Vaste Afanagement Project is to cleall up and provide appropriate, safe, loctlllong-term ma1lagemelll for historic low-level radioactive wa.\'te and contaminated soils in tile /1funicipali(v of elari1lgton. WHAT ARE CLEANUP CRITERIA? Criteria are requirements that direct the clean-up of radioactive and non-radioactive contaminants of potential concern (COPCs) found in low-level radio- active waste and soil, in harbour sediments, in water and groundwater. Criteria also apply to radon levels in houses. The COPCs present in low-level radioactive waste in the Port Hope area are all natural elements in soils, therefore the term "contaminant" only applies at concentrations above criteria considered to be safe for humans and the environment. Contaminants associ- ated with low-level radioactive waste are mainly radium-226, thorium-230, uranium and arsenic. Cleanup (excavation) will meet or go beyond these criteria to ensure the long-term safety of the public and the environment. low-level RadioadiveWaste Management Office 1.1 Natural Resources Canada Ressources naturelles Canal:la A-.. AECL EA(L N' =~ ~-= Canada Septem ber 2006 Doillg the cleall-up right, ollce alld for all... Principles to Guide the Process Thefollowing Principles set the direction/or development o/the clean-up criteria. The Principles have been developed through consultation with the municipalities and the public. The Principles shall be considered to be comprehensive. nUltllal{r reinforcing, and intentional{~' linked. No individual principle may be considered .veparately. General Principles . Properties contaminated with historic low-level radioactive waste shall be cleaned up to permit full enjoyment and use of these properties. Such uses include vegetable gardens, play areas, recreational uses and home construction. . Cleaned up properties can be used for all current and foreseeable unrestricted uses. Future land uses can be anticipated for most properties within the scope of the Port Hope Area Initiative. Examples are small-scale properties, municipal properties, the Centre Pier, Port Hope landfill and inner harbour. . The Legal Agreement shall be adhered to throughout the development and application of clean-up criteria for the Port Hope Area Initiative. Performance criteria, approval process and methodologies are defined in the legal agreement (Article 3 and Schedule 2) between the municipalities and the federal government (March 2001). . Clean-up criteria shall meet or exceed the requirements of Canadian regulators (e.g., Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, Ontario Ministry of Environment, etc.). Development of clean-up criteria will follow the direction provided by applicable international, national and provincial standards (International Atomic Energy Agency, International Commission on Radiological Protection, Health Canada, Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment are examples). . Consultation with the public, the municipalities, and federal and provincial agencies shall be conducted during the development of clean-up criteria. . Clean-up criteria shall consider all pathways to human health and the environment Contaminants in air, water, soil and other environmental media will be considered when developing clean-up criteria. Special Circumstances Under the general principles, special circumstances shall be considered, for example: ~ Specific cleanup criteria will be developed to reflect anticipated (foreseeable) future land uses for certain properties within the scope of the Port Hope Area Initiative, including the existing Port Granby and Welcome Waste Management sites, the Centre Pier, inner harbour and the Port Hope landfill and certain roadways. These specific clean-up criteria shall be developed in accordance with the recommended end-use (e.g. passive/active recreational, no residential, etc.) ~ Clean-up criteria for the inner basin ofthe Port Hope harbour will be developed so that future dredging activities will not be affected by historic low-level radioactive waste. The harbour clean-up should alleviate any concern among the public about use of the harbour and during future dredging no special care shall be required to address historic low- level radioactive waste in the dredged material. ~ Clean-up criteria shall reflect special groundwater circumstances. The completion of the clean-up at some sites (for example, the existing Port Granby facility site in Clarington and the Highland Drive landfill and Highland Drive South Ravine in Port Hope) could require continued environmental monitoring and treatment of groundwater for a period of time before conditions are such that the foreseeable unrestricted use for a particular site would come into effect. ~ The Port Hope and Port Granby Long-Term Waste Management Facilities shall continue to be monitored and will remain under the care and control of Canada for the long-term (i.e. hundreds of years). Design and development of these new long term waste management facilities will focus on community defined end-uses. ~ Designated industrial waste in Port Hope will be cleaned up in accordance with Schedule 1 Part B of the legal agreement between Canada and the municipalities.