Peterborough’s medical officer of health says an increase in the level of beryllium found in the soil of a city school is not a health concern.
In a recent report released by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commision, an independent study tested the soil, water and area near BWXT Nuclear Energy Canada’s facility on Monaghan Road. The facility assembles uranium dioxide pellets into CANDU reactor fuel bundles.
The report noted that levels of beryllium in the soil at Prince of Wales Public School across from BWXT have increased. It’s a light-weight metal found in the earth’s crust used at BWXT to join parts to make fuel bundles. A 2014 sample found 0.8 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg). In 2019 it was 1.33 mg/km. The expected health impact is 4.0 mg/kg, the report states.
However, the study overall concluded that the public and environment near the facility are “protected” and that “there are no expected health impacts.”
Dr. Rosana Salvaterra, medical officer of health for Peterborough Public Health, is reiterating that message.
“Right now, there isn’t cause for concern because the levels are so far below the established guidelines,” she said. “So I don’t think we need to worry but we do need to understand what’s happening and why. And we need to fix it.”
BWXT spokesperson Natalie Cutler tells Global News that the company is aware of the report but doesn’t believe the increased beryllium level is related to its operation. In fact, she says the facility’s beryllium emissions are so low that the province doesn’t need to monitor it.
She also said BWXT does its own monitoring of emissions.
“We perform monitoring to ensure releases remain very low, but our emissions are several hundreds of times lower than the Ministry of Environment limits.”
The Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board has been in touch with parents who have expressed concerns. Board chairperson Diane Lloyd says the board relies on health experts for advice.
“We rely on the local health unit, so Dr. Rosana Salvaterra has told us that they are within acceptable limits,” said Lloyd. “Here at the board office, we’re involved in education and we have to rely on people involved in health to give us answers.”
The report comes as BXWT is applying for a licence renewal that would include the provision to permit uranium pellet processing at its Peterborough plant. Currently, BWXT manufactures pellets at its Toronto facility. A public hearing on the licence renewal is scheduled in Peterborough March 5 and 6 at the Holiday Inn’s ballroom.
Residents at recent Peterborough city council meetings have voiced opposition to the licence provision.
Salvaterra says the level of beryllium detected is low, but stresses that it is still a health risk.
“It can do a lot of damage and cause scarring, fibrosis in the respiratory tract and, in addition, we know that beryllium is carcinogenic,” she said. “So it does increase the risk of lung cancer as well. And for these reasons, it’s very tightly monitored and controlled.”
With files from Jessica Nyznik/Global News Peterborough
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