Tuesday, October 17, 2000

Group on toxic task - Citizens after device to control emission of cancer-causing gas

By Tom VAN DUSEN, Ottawa Sun

PEMBROKE -- An effective pollution control device should be installed on a local industry's two stacks to reduce the amount of tritium gas that escapes into the atmosphere, says a group worried about the content of those emissions. Tritium, a cancer-causing substance emitted by SRB Technologies (Canada) Inc., is a form of hydrogen which is odourless, tasteless and colourless.

Emissions are well within both Ontario and Canadian guidelines, emphasized company president Stephane Levesque. But a protest group wants more stringency in place. "It's astounding in this day and age to see such a backward and unenlightened approach to protecting the public from toxic substances," said Lynn Jones, president of Concerned Citizens of Renfrew County and Area.

The SRB Technologies factory is located at 320 Boundary Rd. here. The company makes self-illuminating highway and emergency lights out of tritium encased in glass. Tritium gas escapes up the stacks as part of the manufacturing process. While SRB argues the levels of gas are minute and dissipate harmlessly in the air, some citizens point out they can be harmful when combined with water in the atmosphere.

"Tritium is carcinogenic, teratogenic and mutagenic," said Ole Hendrickson, a scientist and researcher for the citizens' group. "It's targeted for zero emission by the International Joint Commission." Levesque counters his facility, emissions and surrounding environment are monitored to ensure regulatory compliance is maintained.

Through Hendrickson, the citizens' group made some of its points before the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) at a hearing in Ottawa Oct. 5 and will get another chance to speak Dec. 13. The commission will then rule on a recommendation to give SRB a five-year nuclear facilities licence with no requirement for pollution control.

Levesque said emission control devices have been in place at SRB since 1993. He admitted they don't completely eliminate tritium emissions as originally advertised.

Hendrickson said a more effective device exists which would serve SRB and pay for itself by recovering tritium now lost up the stacks. Comparisons conducted by the concerned citizens placeSRB at the top of the list of the world's tritium polluters, he added.

RADIOACTIVE ICE

The SRB factory is located in a built-up area which includes nearby residences, industries, a mini-mall, restaurants and Pem-Ice II, a skating rink where the ice was found to be radioactive in testing conducted last year. The group undertook urine testing -- also last year -- which found humans were contaminated by tritium at levels hundreds of times beyond the natural background.

In no cases involving ice or urine did levels exceed official Ontario or Canadian limits; however, said Jones, they were beyond more restrictive U.S. limits. The CNSC has reassured citizens and Pembroke City Council that radiation from emissions pose a negligible risk to the public.