This week, Ottawa-based Nordion will begin shipping the latest harvest of Cobalt-60 harvested at Bruce Power to medical facilities worldwide.
Cobalt-60 is primarily harvested at Bruce Power and Ontario Power Generation nuclear sites. It is being used in Gamma irradiation to sterilize medical devices needed to help in the fight against COVID-19 around the world.
The Gamma irradiation process ensures that necessary medical supplies such as surgical gloves, syringes and COVID-19 test kits are properly and thoroughly sterilized. The process is one of the best and most efficient methods of sterilizing large quantities of key medical equipment quickly so that front line healthcare workers can continue providing the best care. This latest harvest is from the Bruce Power Unit 6 reactor.
“Nuclear power plays a critical role in two key areas of health care – it ensures that power continues to flow to operating rooms and life-saving equipment; but it also provides a reliable source of Cobalt-60 for sterilization and life-saving medical procedures,” said Mike Rencheck, President and CEO of Bruce Power. ”These functions have become even more important during this crisis.”
