With CNL firmly committed to undertaking Port Hope Area Initiative (PHAI) activities with minimal impacts to the community, an innovative method was used during demolition of a structure. The former house was found to have radioactive building materials, believed to have been incorporated into the structure by a family member who worked at Eldorado Nuclear, a former nuclear refinery located in Port Hope on the shores of Lake Ontario.
Contract partners WSP and their subcontractors enclosed the building in scaffolding and then wrapped the entire structure in fire-retardant material. The result is that the structure was successfully demolished and removed with minimal disruption to the neighbourhood.
Beginning at the highest point of the building, the home was demolished with the contaminated debris contained in the basement. Strict environmental controls for impacts such as dust, noise and radiation protection were in place. The contaminated materials were then loaded into tarped bins and safely transported to the Port Hope Long-Term Waste Management Facility (LTWMF) for storage.
The equipment and scaffolding will be decontaminated on site but if they fail, they will be transported to the LTWMF for decontamination and release.
For more information regarding PHAI activities, please visit phai.ca
