Lexi Webster
Australia has no nuclear power-producing electricity but does have a well-developed usage of radioisotopes in medicine, research, and industry. The Australian government has committed to managing the radioactive waste generated by nuclear-powered submarines in accordance with its nuclear non-proliferation and other international obligations. Australia has had radioactive-waste-swap arrangements with the British and French, and waste from these countries has been returned to Australia for storage. The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) stores low-level waste and a small amount of intermediate-level waste on-site. Radioactive waste in Australia is managed at over 100 locations, including hospitals, universities, and national science and defence facilities.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Amount of nuclear waste produced annually | 45 cubic meters |
| Amount of low-level waste produced annually | 40 cubic meters |
| Amount of intermediate-level waste produced annually | 5 cubic meters |
| Amount of low-level waste awaiting disposal in 2015 | 4248 cubic meters |
| Amount of intermediate-level waste awaiting better storage in 2015 | 656 cubic meters |
| Number of holders of radioactive waste in Australia | Over 100 |
| Number of sites storing radioactive waste in Australia | Over 100 |
| Existence of a national approach to the temporary storage and permanent disposal of nuclear waste | No |
| Existence of a national repository for low-level and intermediate-level waste | No, but one is planned |
| Existence of a facility capable of converting spent fuel into a form suitable for permanent storage | No |
| Existence of a facility producing and storing radioactive material | Yes, managed by the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation at Lucas Heights |
| Existence of a body to manage radioactive waste | Yes, the Australian Radioactive Waste Agency (ARWA) |
| Existence of a national Radioactive Waste Management Facility | Yes, in Napandee near Kimba, SA |
| Countries Australia has had radioactive-waste-swap arrangements with | UK, France |
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What You'll Learn
Australia's nuclear waste swap arrangements with the UK and France
Australia has had radioactive waste-swap arrangements with the UK and France, which has increased the pressure on the country's long-term nuclear waste disposal solutions.
In 2021, Australia received nuclear waste shipments from the UK amid a dispute over a national storage facility. Two tonnes of nuclear waste were shipped from the UK to Australia as part of a waste-swap deal. The shipment was sent in four 500kg canisters inside a forged steel container called a TN-81. This was followed by another shipment onboard the Pacific Grebe, which docked in Port Kembla before being transported to Lucas Heights. The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) worked with the UK's Office for Nuclear Regulation to inspect the containers before they were returned to Australia.
In 2015, Australia also received two containers (about 25 tonnes) of intermediate-level waste from France. This was a result of the reprocessing of research reactor fuel.
Australia has a relatively small amount of low-level and intermediate-level waste and does not have any high-level waste. The country's only facility for producing and storing radioactive material is managed by the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) at Lucas Heights, which is nearing capacity. Nuclear waste is currently stored at over a hundred sites across the country.
The Australian government has committed to managing the radioactive waste generated by the submarines in accordance with its nuclear non-proliferation and other international obligations. However, it has not yet outlined a clear national approach to the temporary storage and permanent disposal of this waste.
In 2020, the Australian Radioactive Waste Agency (ARWA) was established within the Department of Industry, Science, Energy & Resources to manage radioactive waste and lead the process of delivering Australia's National Radioactive Waste Management Facility in Napandee near Kimba, South Australia.
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Australia's nuclear waste storage sites
Australia produces about 45 cubic metres of radioactive waste each year, which includes 40 cubic metres of low-level waste (LLW) and 5 cubic metres of intermediate-level waste (ILW). This waste is currently stored at over a hundred sites across the country, but this is not considered a sustainable long-term solution.
In 2020, the Australian Radioactive Waste Agency (ARWA) was set up to manage the country's radioactive waste. The ARWA is working to deliver Australia's National Radioactive Waste Management Facility in Napandee, near Kimba, South Australia. The site selection process for this facility has been underway for over 10 years, and the chosen site must be carefully assessed for safety and suitability.
There has been debate about whether Australia should develop a national nuclear waste facility or an AUKUS nuclear waste facility following the announcement of the AUKUS partnership to equip Australia with nuclear-powered submarines. The Australian government has committed to managing the radioactive waste generated by the submarines but has not yet outlined a plan for how this will be done.
Australia does not have a clear national approach to the temporary storage and permanent disposal of nuclear waste, and a long-term solution is urgently needed. The country has had radioactive waste swap arrangements with the UK and France, and the waste returned to Australia for storage must be appropriately managed.
Australia's only facility for producing and storing radioactive material is located at Lucas Heights, managed by the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation. This facility is nearing capacity, and there are concerns about the potential safety risks of double-handling waste between temporary and permanent storage facilities.
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Australia's nuclear waste management
Australia does not have any nuclear power-producing electricity, but it does have a well-developed usage of radioisotopes in medicine, research, and industry. The country produces about 45 cubic meters of radioactive waste annually, including 40 cubic meters of low-level waste (LLW) and 5 cubic meters of intermediate-level waste (ILW). LLW is currently stored at over a hundred sites across Australia, but this is not considered a sustainable long-term solution.
In 2020, the Australian Radioactive Waste Agency (ARWA) was established within the Department of Industry, Science, Energy & Resources to manage radioactive waste. The ARWA will act as the authority on radioactive waste in Australia and collaborate with various stakeholders to implement the country's radioactive waste management policy. The agency will be a non-corporate Commonwealth entity based in Adelaide, South Australia, and will lead the process of delivering Australia's National Radioactive Waste Management Facility in Napandee, near Kimba, South Australia.
The National Radioactive Waste Management Facility will provide a centralized location for the disposal of LLW and the storage of ILW generated in Australia. The facility will be a controlled site under the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act 1998, requiring licenses for site preparation, construction, and operation.
In addition to the National Radioactive Waste Management Facility, Australia has other facilities for managing radioactive waste. The Sandy Ridge facility in Western Australia, licensed since January 2023, uses kaolin clay and impermeable granite to isolate LLW and other hazardous wastes. The Mt Walton East Intractable Waste Disposal Facility, established in 1992, is located northeast of Perth and managed by a division of the WA Department of Finance.
Australia has also had radioactive waste swap arrangements with the British and French, which will increase the pressure on the country's long-term nuclear waste disposal solutions. The country has exported spent nuclear fuel rods to the US, UK, and France for reprocessing and has received repatriated waste from these countries.
While Australia does not have a clear national approach to temporary storage and permanent disposal of nuclear waste, the government has committed to managing radioactive waste generated by the recently announced nuclear-powered submarines in accordance with international obligations.
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Australia's nuclear waste classification
Radioactive waste in Australia is generated through a variety of medical, industrial, research, and agricultural practices. It is classified into three levels: low-level waste (LLW), intermediate-level waste (ILW), and high-level waste (HLW).
LLW is the most common type of radioactive waste in Australia, with approximately 40 cubic meters produced annually. It includes items such as medical equipment and clothing that have been contaminated by exposure to radioactivity. This waste is currently stored at over a hundred sites across the country, but this is not considered a suitable long-term solution.
ILW is produced in smaller quantities, with about 5 cubic meters generated each year. It includes waste from reprocessing spent fuel from research reactors, as well as waste residues returned to Australia from overseas reprocessing. This type of waste requires special handling and long-term storage solutions.
HLW is not currently present in Australia. It typically consists of used fuel from power reactors or the waste left over from reprocessing this fuel. HLW contains most of the radioactivity from the nuclear fuel cycle and requires cooling and shielding due to its high radioactivity.
The management of nuclear waste in Australia is overseen by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA), which ensures compliance with national and international standards. The Australian Radioactive Waste Agency (ARWA), established in 2020, is responsible for managing all radioactive waste in the country and is working towards delivering a National Radioactive Waste Management Facility.
Australia has also had radioactive waste swap arrangements with the British and French, and it has exported spent nuclear fuel rods to the US, UK, and France for reprocessing. The country is actively working on improving its nuclear waste management infrastructure and site selection processes.
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Australia's nuclear waste production
Australia produces about 45 cubic metres of radioactive waste each year, including about 40 cubic metres of low-level waste (LLW) and 5 cubic metres of intermediate-level waste (ILW). LLW includes items such as paper and gloves from laboratories that emit small amounts of radioactivity, while ILW comes from the production of nuclear medicine. Australia does not have any high-level waste (HLW), which is a byproduct of nuclear reactors.
The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) manages Australia's only facility for producing and storing radioactive material at Lucas Heights, near Sydney. This facility is nearing capacity, and nuclear waste is also stored at more than 100 sites across the nation. In 2020, the Australian Radioactive Waste Agency (ARWA) was established within the Department of Industry, Science, Energy & Resources to manage radioactive waste and lead the process of delivering Australia's National Radioactive Waste Management Facility.
Australia does not have its own capability for spent fuel reprocessing and has exported spent nuclear fuel rods to the US, UK, and France a total of 10 times since 1963. Australia has also had radioactive waste returned from these countries for storage, with repatriations of waste from France in 2015 and the UK in 2022.
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Frequently asked questions
Australia has had radioactive-waste-swap arrangements with the British and French, and has also exported spent nuclear fuel rods to the US, UK and France. However, it does not have a facility capable of converting spent fuel into a form suitable for permanent storage, so it relies on partners overseas in countries with much larger nuclear programs.
Yes, Australia produces about 45 cubic metres of radioactive waste each year from the use and manufacture of radioisotopes in medicine, research and industry.
Australia's only facility producing and storing radioactive material is managed by the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) at Lucas Heights. However, this facility is nearing capacity, so nuclear waste is also stored at more than 100 sites across the nation.
