DGR Background Information

For over 35 years OPG's Western Waste Management Facility (WWMF) has safely stored low and intermediate level waste from the Bruce, Pickering and Darlington nuclear sites on an interim basis. In 2001 the Municipality of Kincardine approached OPG to jointly look at developing options for a long-term storage facility for low and intermediate level waste at the Bruce nuclear site.

An Independent Assessment Study identified three options deemed to be technically feasible and capable of safely storing the waste: the Deep Geologic Repository (DGR), Enhanced Processing, Treatment and Long-Term Storage and Covered Above-Ground Concrete Vault. In 2004 the Municipality of Kincardine, by resolution, endorsed moving forward with the DGR because of its higher safety margins.