Australia will not accept world’s nuclear waste

Australia will not accept the world’s nuclear waste

Federal Science Minister Peter McGauran has today re-stated that the Government will not accept the nuclear waste of other countries to be stored or disposed of in Australia.

"Successive Australian Government’s have stated Australia will not accept the radioactive waste of other countries," Mr McGauran said.

"Countries deriving benefits from nuclear technology should make their own arrangements to safely dispose of their nuclear waste.

"The Federal Government totally rejects the proposal put forward by the Swiss-based company ARIUS for disposing or storing international nuclear waste in Australia."

The Federal Government is advancing two projects for the safe disposal and storage of Australian radioactive waste which is generated from the beneficial use of radioactive materials in medicine, industry and research, in Australia.

The national repository will be for the disposal of Australian low level waste at one of three sites in central-north South Australia.

The national store will be for the storage of intermediate level waste generated by Commonwealth agencies and will be sited on Commonwealth land. A site is yet to be selected, but the store will not be co-located with the national repository for low level waste.

"Under no circumstances will the Federal Government consider involving bodies in Australia’s radioactive waste facilities which may be seen as promoting Australian storage or disposal of international nuclear waste," Mr McGauran said.

ENDS

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