āThereās a nuclear reactor in the LSC?ā
Thatās the most common response to the news that pilipiliĀž» 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 analysisĀ by researchers inĀ 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 universityās Board of Directors, the pilipiliĀž» 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 Presidentās annual meeting with the community and in the meantime, those on the āinsideā will have the chance to learn details of the project on Tuesday, Dec. 8 at 12:30 p.m. during aĀ meeting in room 812 of the LSC.
āWeāre looking forward to the opportunity to answer any questions Dal staff, faculty or students may have about the project,ā says Ray Ilson, Dalhousieās Director of Health and Safety. āThere is a lot of planning involved in a project like this and people are understandably curious.ā
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. āThe facility is assessed at least weekly for contamination and there has never been any contamination discovered within the facility during 32 years of use,ā 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 āLicence to Decommissionā Dalhousie can begin the actual decommissioning at which time the radioactive materials will removed. The CNSC will then issue a āLicence to Abandonā 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 āgreen spaceā or, an area of the campus as ācleanā and free of contaminants as anywhere else.
āUpon completion of the project, the space will be safe and available to the university for any use,ā he suggests. āItāll be that safe.ā