PHAI Post-Remediation Concepts

Background

To address community concerns about low-level Radioactive waste and industrial waste in the community, a legal agreement was made between the Municipality of Port Hope and Canada to conduct a large-scale environmental clean up effort, paid for by Canada, in return for hosting the long-term waste management site. This element of the agreement is significant as it saves taxpayers of Port Hope upwards of $100 million in remediation costs and removes highly toxic material from our community when accounting for all industrial sites identified.

This provides an opportunity to improve the sites that are cleaned up for the future use and enjoyment by our community.

Low level radioactive waste versus industrial waste:

It is important to distinguish the difference between low-level radioactive waste (LLRW) and industrial waste.

LLRW sites typically contain exactly that, low level radioactive waste materials from the former Eldorado facility.

The industrial sites identified in the PHAI clean up are much more toxic and include the presence of lead, heavy metals, Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB's), and other dangerous waste and originate from other industrial businesses. The PHAI project originated to remove LLRW and the municipality successfully negotiated the inclusion of unrelated industrial waste sites to the benefit of the community. Lions Park and the Chemetron Lagoon are two of the industrial sites being cleaned up under the agreement.

Lions Park

Image of Lions Park Concept PlanClick to enlargeThe Lions Recreation Centre Park (“Lions Park”) was successfully negotiated into the agreement because of the known presence of high levels of industrial waste such as lead, boron, barium and zinc, in most cases at levels more than 100 times provincial limits. Lions Park was used as an industrial waste dump. In 2021 Council supported the recommendation of both CNL and municipal staff to remove and replace the trees to allow the waste to be properly removed and the site to be restored and enhanced.

Since that decision, cleanup efforts are progressing, and a restoration concept plan has been prepared. The proposed plan is designed to restore the natural features and provide enhanced community use, benefiting both the environment and the community. The proposed plan was developed through a strong partnership between Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories and the Municipality of Port Hope, and following early feedback from the adjacent neighbours and the Parks, Recreation and Culture (PRC) Advisory Committee.

The proposed additional enhancements include:

  • restoration of woodlot
  • an accessible pathway
  • benches made from timber reclaimed from the site
  • a gazebo
  • gardens and other features.
  • new tree plantings

Tree species will be native to this region and reflective of requests from the immediate neighbours, where possible. It is anticipated that the restoration phase will follow the waste removal phase with restoration scheduled to begin in fall 2023.

The existing ball diamond space is outside of the PHAI remediation zone and plans for that space are being developed by the PRC Advisory Committee.

This is an exciting opportunity for our community that will ensure Lions Park continues to be an important environmental feature and outdoor space for community use long into the future.

Chemetron Lagoon

Image of Chemetron Lagoon Concept PlanClick to enlargeThe Chemetron Lagoon site was successfully negotiated for clean up due to the known presence of industrial waste. The pond area adjacent to Lake Ontario contains heavy metals and PCB's and has been fenced off for many years. Removal of waste, which must be shipped to Quebec to be incinerated, is underway.

The proposed restoration concept plan opens the space up to the community for the first time with new, community-minded features, including:

  • accessible trails
  • an additional lookout over Sculthorpe Marsh
  • a shade structure and seating
  • plantings of meadow grasses and flowers.
  • relocation of parking to make traffic sight lines safer

Background

To address community concerns about low-level Radioactive waste and industrial waste in the community, a legal agreement was made between the Municipality of Port Hope and Canada to conduct a large-scale environmental clean up effort, paid for by Canada, in return for hosting the long-term waste management site. This element of the agreement is significant as it saves taxpayers of Port Hope upwards of $100 million in remediation costs and removes highly toxic material from our community when accounting for all industrial sites identified.

This provides an opportunity to improve the sites that are cleaned up for the future use and enjoyment by our community.

Low level radioactive waste versus industrial waste:

It is important to distinguish the difference between low-level radioactive waste (LLRW) and industrial waste.

LLRW sites typically contain exactly that, low level radioactive waste materials from the former Eldorado facility.

The industrial sites identified in the PHAI clean up are much more toxic and include the presence of lead, heavy metals, Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB's), and other dangerous waste and originate from other industrial businesses. The PHAI project originated to remove LLRW and the municipality successfully negotiated the inclusion of unrelated industrial waste sites to the benefit of the community. Lions Park and the Chemetron Lagoon are two of the industrial sites being cleaned up under the agreement.

Lions Park

Image of Lions Park Concept PlanClick to enlargeThe Lions Recreation Centre Park (“Lions Park”) was successfully negotiated into the agreement because of the known presence of high levels of industrial waste such as lead, boron, barium and zinc, in most cases at levels more than 100 times provincial limits. Lions Park was used as an industrial waste dump. In 2021 Council supported the recommendation of both CNL and municipal staff to remove and replace the trees to allow the waste to be properly removed and the site to be restored and enhanced.

Since that decision, cleanup efforts are progressing, and a restoration concept plan has been prepared. The proposed plan is designed to restore the natural features and provide enhanced community use, benefiting both the environment and the community. The proposed plan was developed through a strong partnership between Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories and the Municipality of Port Hope, and following early feedback from the adjacent neighbours and the Parks, Recreation and Culture (PRC) Advisory Committee.

The proposed additional enhancements include:

  • restoration of woodlot
  • an accessible pathway
  • benches made from timber reclaimed from the site
  • a gazebo
  • gardens and other features.
  • new tree plantings

Tree species will be native to this region and reflective of requests from the immediate neighbours, where possible. It is anticipated that the restoration phase will follow the waste removal phase with restoration scheduled to begin in fall 2023.

The existing ball diamond space is outside of the PHAI remediation zone and plans for that space are being developed by the PRC Advisory Committee.

This is an exciting opportunity for our community that will ensure Lions Park continues to be an important environmental feature and outdoor space for community use long into the future.

Chemetron Lagoon

Image of Chemetron Lagoon Concept PlanClick to enlargeThe Chemetron Lagoon site was successfully negotiated for clean up due to the known presence of industrial waste. The pond area adjacent to Lake Ontario contains heavy metals and PCB's and has been fenced off for many years. Removal of waste, which must be shipped to Quebec to be incinerated, is underway.

The proposed restoration concept plan opens the space up to the community for the first time with new, community-minded features, including:

  • accessible trails
  • an additional lookout over Sculthorpe Marsh
  • a shade structure and seating
  • plantings of meadow grasses and flowers.
  • relocation of parking to make traffic sight lines safer
  • CLOSED: This survey has concluded.

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Page last updated: 26 Feb 2024, 02:22 PM