The total used fuel in Canada, not just Bruce Power, would fit in five average-sized hockey rinks up to the height of the boards.

Over nearly five decades, the volume of all the waste from all Canadian reactors is less than half of the municipal waste generated by Toronto in one day, according to the Canadian Nuclear Society.

Radiation is simply the movement of energy through space or another media in the form of waves, particles or rays. Radioactivity is the name given to the natural breakup of atoms which spontaneously emit particles or gamma energies following unstable configuration of the nucleus, neutron capture or spontaneous fission.

Radiation is measured in millirem. We are all exposed to some degree of radiation which is naturally occurring in the food we eat and air we breathe. We are exposed to radiation from the sun and stars, but get protection from the earth’s atmosphere. However, that means that those who live at higher altitudes are exposed to more radiation than those living at sea level. For example, the annual does from cosmic radiation in Denver is 50 millirem, while the annual dose at sea level is 26 millirem.

It is commonly accepted that 5,000 millirem per year is safe for most people, although this can vary by individual.

Common sources of radiation are: