Historic waste is low-level radioactive waste that was managed in a manner no longer considered acceptable, but for which the original producer cannot reasonably be held responsible or no longer exists.

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Historic waste generally consists of process residues and contaminated materials mixed with soil. Nearly all of the historic waste dates back to the 1930s when radium was refined for medical applications at a refinery in Port Hope, Ontario.  This waste, a total volume of about 1.5 million cubic metres, represents about 70% of the total low-level radioactive waste inventory in Canada by volume.  Most of the waste is safely stored at interim storage facilities located at or near the waste sites.

For historic waste, the LLRWMO performs cleanup remedial work, and constructs and operates interim storage facilities until long-term management facilities are available.

The main historic waste sites in Canada are (see map for locations):

Historic LLRW Projects

• Fort McMurray
  
  
• Northern Transportation Route (Northwest Territories to Alberta)

• Port Hope, Ontario

• Scarborough, Ontario

• Surrey, British Columbia

• Other Sites