Greens Call for National Standards on Levels of Tritium in Drinking Water

OTTAWA–National standards for tritium in drinking water are urgently needed, said the Green Party today after an expert panel report that states current Ontario standards allow 350 times too much of the radioactive isotope into our water supply. 

The report of the Ontario Drinking Water Advisory Council (ODWAC), which was commissioned by the Ontario Minister of the Environment, recommends that the current permissible limit of 7,000 becquerels per litre be reduced to 20 becquerels per litre, a limit which was chosen partly because it is one the nuclear industry could meet.  The same recommendation was made by the Advisory Committee on Environmental Standards in 1994.  “We can no longer ignore the advice of scientists regarding this cancer causing agent,” said Green Leader Elizabeth May. “All Canadians have a right to clean drinking water and setting lower national limits for radioactivity in our water is a no-brainer.”

The background level of tritium is between one and two becquerels per litre of water. The only other major source of tritium is nuclear reactors.

“There is no safe dose of radiation,” said Green Natural Resources Critic Amy Collard. “Therefore, we should be following the recommendation of the Science Council of Canada, that the permissible level for any known carcinogen be zero.  This is yet another reason why we need to phase out nuclear reactors in Canada and move toward safe, clean, renewable energy.

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Contact:
Michael Bernard
Communications Officer
Green Party of Canada
613-562-4916 ext. 244
(c) 613-614-4916
michael.bernard@greenparty.ca

Greens Call for National Standards on Levels of Tritium in Drinking Water