Radioactive waste to be main focus of international Winnipeg conference

An international conference on the deep geological disposal of radioactive waste will be held at the Westin Hotel in Winnipeg, Man., from Sept. 16 to 19.

Co-sponsored by the Canadian Nuclear Society and seven international nuclear organizations, the conference will feature 125 papers from 21 countries. The papers will address scientific, engineering and social ramifications of the deep disposal of radioactive waste.

Plenary sessions will focus on international trends in deep geological disposal and views on confidence building in radioactive waste management.

Other sessions will discuss biosphere modelling and characterization, engineered barriers, environmental and safety assessment, regulatory issues, repository engineering, underground facilities and laboratories. A full-day workshop and tour of Atomic Energy of Canada’s Whiteshell Laboratories and Underground Research Laboratory near Pinawa, Man., have been planned for Sept. 20.

Included in the conference is a round-table discussion, to be held Sept. 18, that will focus on social issues such as public acceptance of radioactive waste management. In addition, an educators program will be held Sept. 17 for high-school teachers, and will include an informal question-and-answer session with scientists and engineers.

For more information, contact Lawrence Shewchuk at (204) 753-2311. Fax: (204) 753-2545.