The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) is asking the public for their comments on the technical assessment report on the package design for the transport of highly enriched uranyl nitrate liquid (HEUNL).

In 2012, the CNSC received an application for certification of package design for the transport of HEUNL. Following a thorough assessment of the application, CNSC staff are satisfied it meets all Canadian and international regulatory requirements and will ensure the protection of the public and the environment.

HEUNL is a liquid by-product of medical isotope production of at the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) in Chalk River, Ontario. HEUNL derives from a solid form produced in the United States and transported to Canada for use in the National Research Universal (NRU) reactor. In March 2012, Prime Minister Harper announced that Canada and the U.S. were expanding their efforts to repatriate additional inventories of highly enriched uranium, including those in liquid form.

The scope of this technical assessment is for the certification of the package design only. The CNSC has not yet received an application to transport or export HEUNL to the U.S.

The public is invited to comment on the report until February 9, 2015. To review and comment on the report, visit the CNSC's webpage on Highly Enriched Uranium in Canada.

Quick facts

• HEUNL must be transported in specifically designed packages that meet Canadian, American and international safety requirements.
• A package that has safely transported more than 3,700 shipments of spent fuel, high-level waste and other nuclear materials around the world will be modified specifically to accommodate inner containers to hold the HEUNL.
• Canada has an excellent safety record for transporting nuclear substances in solid, gaseous, and liquid forms, such as tritium, heavy water and Molybdenum 99.
• More than a million packages containing radioactive material are transported safely in Canada each year.
• The CNSC will not allow the shipment of any nuclear materials unless there is adequate provision for the protection of the health, safety and security of Canadians and the environment.
• CNL is one of the world's largest suppliers of medical isotopes, which are used to diagnose and treat diseases.