KI tablets available for all area residents and businesses located near nuclear generating stations

Whitby, Ontario - Durham Region Health Department is encouraging all area residents and businesses located within 10 kilometres of the Pickering or Darlington nuclear generating stations to ensure they have a supply of potassium iodide (KI) tablets. This recommendation is also aimed at pregnant and breastfeeding individuals, and parents of infants, children and adolescents as KI is both safe and effective for these groups.

KI is a stable iodine salt that is effective in reducing the risk of thyroid cancer in the event of a radioactive iodine release. Newborns, infants, children, adolescents, and pregnant and breastfeeding individuals are at the highest risk of negative health effects to the thyroid from radioactive iodine. Therefore, these individuals should be the first to receive KI tablets in the highly unlikely event of a nuclear accident; if such an incident were to occur, KI tablets are only to be taken when instructed by Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health.

An initial pre-distribution of KI tablets for all area residents and businesses located near nuclear generating stations occurred in Durham Region in 2015, as a requirement of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC). This resulted in KI tablets being supplied to all area residents and businesses located within a 10-kilometre radius of both the Pickering and Darlington nuclear generating stations. Currently, residents and businesses, as well as individuals who are new to the Durham Region communities where nuclear generating stations are located, are reminded to confirm that they have an adequate supply of KI tablets readily available.

“Everyone living or working in the area where the two nuclear generating stations are located in Durham Region are encouraged to check that they have a supply of KI tablets on hand,” said Anthony Di Pietro, Director, Health Protection with Durham Region Health Department. “In addition, as part of the increased safety standards outlined by the CNSC, anyone living within 50 kilometres of a nuclear generating station is also eligible to receive free KI tablets to have a supply on hand.”

The Health Department has developed several videos to help educate the public about the purpose of KI tablets and to assist with increasing awareness of the availability of the pills. The videos can be viewed on the Health Department’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/DurhamHealth. Area residents can also find information about KI tablets available in 10 languages by visiting preparetobesafe.ca.

A limited supply of KI tablets is available free of charge at some local pharmacies. The Health Department works in partnership with these pharmacies to help with local distribution. These pharmacies include:

• Bay Ridges Pharmacy, 1794 Liverpool Rd., Pickering
• Pickering Medical Pharmacy, 1885 Glenanna Rd., Pickering
• Liverpool Pharmacy, 725 Krosno Blvd., Pickering
• Global Drug Mart Remedy’s Rx, 130 Waverly Rd., Bowmanville
• Courtice Pharmasave, 2727 Courtice Rd., Courtice

To learn more about nuclear safety in Durham Region, visit https://www.opg.com/about-us/our-commitments/public-safety/. To request a copy of Durham Region’s new Nuclear Emergency Preparedness Guides, which includes customized information for people who live or work within three, 10, or more than 10 kilometres of a nuclear generating station in Durham Region, please visit durham.ca/NuclearPreparedness.

For more information or to obtain a free supply of KI tablets, visit preparetobesafe.ca, or call Durham Health Connection Line at 905-668-2020 or 1-800-841-2729.

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For more information, please contact the Health Department.