At BWXT in Peterborough, we assemble fuel bundles for CANDU reactors using natural uranium dioxide pellets from our Toronto facility. These pellets are inserted into zirconium tubes to form the fuel bundle.
As part of our environmental monitoring program, a third-party consultant will be conducting routine soil sampling for the presence of beryllium and uranium at several sites in Peterborough, including Prince of Wales Public School on Monaghan Road, on August 6, 2025.
Uranium is a naturally occurring, weakly radioactive element present at low levels in the environment and naturally, in soil and rocks, the water we drink and the air we breathe. Because uranium is a naturally-occurring, low-level radioactive material that exists virtually everywhere, it contributes to what is called “natural background radiation.”
Beryllium is a lightweight but strong metal found in the earth’s crust and can be found in everything from cell phones and airbag sensors to aircraft and pacemakers. Beryllium is used in small amounts at BWXT’s Peterborough operations to join components of the fuel bundle together. Its use is controlled by a regulated manufacturing program that protects the health and safety of employees, the public and the environment.
More information about our environmental monitoring, including previous soil sampling campaign results, can be found here.
The 2025 soil sampling results are expected to be complete by the end of the year or early 2026.
If you have any questions or would like to observe the soil sampling, please contact [email protected].
