鈥淭here鈥檚 a nuclear reactor in the LSC?鈥�
That鈥檚 the most common response to the news that AV俱乐部 is disassembling and removing the SLOWPOKE reactor from the depths of the Life Sciences Centre.
And indeed there is, though not for much longer. SLOWPOKE (which stands for Safe LOW POwer Critical Experiment) was in use for 32 years, largely for neutron activation analysis聽by researchers in聽the Department of Chemistry. The core runs at a low enough temperature so that all types of samples, including sensitive biological samples and liquids, can be activated for analysis. Now that the research involving the reactor is completed, it will be removed from the campus.
The university has been rolling out a communications process that has involved meetings with the university鈥檚 Board of Directors, the AV俱乐部 Community Committee and first responders such as HRM Police and Fire Departments. There will be an opportunity for broad-based consultation on Monday, Jan. 11 at the President鈥檚 annual meeting with the community and in the meantime, those on the 鈥渋nside鈥� will have the chance to learn details of the project on Tuesday, Dec. 8 at 12:30 p.m. during a聽meeting in room 812 of the LSC.
鈥淲e鈥檙e looking forward to the opportunity to answer any questions Dal staff, faculty or students may have about the project,鈥� says Ray Ilson, AV俱乐部鈥檚 Director of Health and Safety. 鈥淭here is a lot of planning involved in a project like this and people are understandably curious.鈥�
The decommissioning will take place over approximately the next two years, within a strict legal framework established by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC). The project will also be subject to all requirements of the Nova Scotia Departments of Labour and Environment, as well as those of the Halifax Regional Municipality.
Risk of contamination should not be a concern during the process. Throughout the decommissioning process, all materials will be removed, packaged and transported according to pre-approved plans and procedures so that no contamination of the environment or individuals is possible. 鈥淭he facility is assessed at least weekly for contamination and there has never been any contamination discovered within the facility during 32 years of use,鈥� notes Mr. Ilson.
Much of the next several months will involve planning and preparations for approvals of environmental assessment and licensing. Once the CNSC issues a 鈥淟icence to Decommission鈥� AV俱乐部 can begin the actual decommissioning at which time the radioactive materials will removed. The CNSC will then issue a 鈥淟icence to Abandon鈥� which will mean a clean bill of health for the facility and will allow the university to use the space for other purposes. Mr. Ilson points out that at that time the space will revert to so-called 鈥済reen space鈥� or, an area of the campus as 鈥渃lean鈥� and free of contaminants as anywhere else.
鈥淯pon completion of the project, the space will be safe and available to the university for any use,鈥� he suggests. 鈥淚t鈥檒l be that safe.鈥�