Algonquin leaders seek answers on toxic sewage discharge at nuclear lab

Algonquin leaders are demanding accountability after learning Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) discharged toxic sewage at the Chalk River research hub along the Ottawa River this spring.

Chalk River's sanitary sewage plant failed an "acute lethality test" in February, meaning the effluent, or treated wastewater discharge, was found to be toxic to fish.

CNL was depositing the toxic effluent into freshwater at the site between February and April, violating regulations and prompting action from enforcement officers, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) confirmed.

Kebaowek First Nation Chief Lance Haymond says he trusts neither ECCC nor the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) to protect his members from hazards — radioactive or otherwise.

"What is the toxic effluent in sewage being discharged since February 2024 at Chalk River?" Haymond asked in an April 30 letter to Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault and CNSC.

The Algonquin leader, whose community is in Quebec — upstream from the facility — is calling for a nation-to-nation initiative to monitor waste dumping in the watershed.

"The impact of this non-compliance is deeply troubling," wrote Haymond, adding that it underscores the need for an independent watchdog organization that includes First Nations.

CNL said Friday it has a dedicated team, supported by external experts, working to identify the source of any operational discharges that may have disrupted the plant's biological treatment system, known as activated sludge, which will take some time to recover.

"The current focus of the investigation is on detergents or cleaning solutions used within the laboratories," the organization said via statement.

"The discharge from the sewage treatment facility does not pose a threat to the environment or the public. CNL can also confirm that this non-compliance is not related to radiological contaminants."

The Chalk River site, 180 kilometres northwest of Ottawa, was formerly a leading producer of the world's medical isotopes before the national research reactor's 2018 shutdown.

Historic incidents at the site range from accidents at the reactors in 1952 and 1958, to a radioactive tritium leak in 2009, among other mishaps.

Dylan Whiteduck, chief of Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg near Maniwaki, Que., also expressed little faith in the organization to protect the Kichi Zibi, or Ottawa River.

"Perhaps a third party investigation into other activities is warranted and all impacted residents should demand accountability," he wrote by email.