The Remediation and Rejeuvenation of Cameco's Port Hope Conversion Facility

Abstract

Cameco's Vision 2010/Vision in Motion project is a comprehensive redevelopment plan for the Port Hope conversion facility (PHCF), Canada's oldest continually operating nuclear facility. It entails the cleanup and redevelopment of the site, which is currently home to a number of old or under-utilized buildings, contaminated soils and stored historic wastes. Following removal of the targeted structures, the contaminated soils and stored wastes, new replacement buildings will be constructed. The project is being carried out in conjunction with the Port Hope Area Initiative (PHAI), a federal government undertaking for the cleanup and long-term management of low-level radioactive and industrial waste in Port Hope.

The demolition program will form a significant portion of the Vision 2010 project activities. There are a number of buildings on the site that are to be removed, ranging in size from small pump-houses to large former production plants. The buildings slated for demolition will first have any remaining equipment and materials removed and then be cleaned to remove surface contaminants. Once the buildings have been cleaned, they will be dismantled.

The excavation of fill and native soil underlying Cameco's PHCF is another important element of Vision 2010. The soil has been contaminated by historical operations, largely related to predecessor uranium processing and radium production activities. Soil which exceeds the remedial objectives will be loaded onto trucks and transported to PHAI's long-term waste management facility (LTWMF) for management.

Throughout these activities, hazardous materials will be encountered, primarily during the demolition of buildings and the cleaning of materials to meet release criteria. Some hazardous materials may also be encountered during the preparation or repackaging of drummed waste prior to disposal at the LTWMF and during soil excavation.