What is radioactive
waste and how
is it stored?
There are three types of radioactive waste:
LOW LEVEL.
INTERMEDIATE LEVEL.
HIGH LEVEL.
Generated in hospitals and
industry. Comprising paper, rags,
tools, and gloves.
It has short-lived radioactivity
and does not require shielding
during normal handling
or transportation.
Typically metal and other
materials from decommissioned
reactors. It includes reprocessed
nuclear fuel that emits higher
levels of radiation and requires
shielding during handling,
transport and storage.
Waste from a nuclear reactor comprising used fuel assemblies
(a series of rods containing
uranium fuel pellets), has higher
radioactivity and requires
increased shielding, isolation and
cooling due to its heat
generating capacity.
Low level
hospital waste.
Concrete overpack used
for containment of
intermediate level waste.
Fuel assembly for a
commercial light water reactor.
BREAKDOWN OF THE WORLD'S RADIOACTIVE WASTE.
90%
LOW LEVEL
7%
INTERMEDIATE LEVEL
3%
HIGH LEVEL
Images courtesy of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, ONDRAF/NIRAS, Kyra Reznokov, AREVA.
AUSTRALIA’S
RADIOACTIVE
WASTE MANAGEMENT.
FIND
I
F
How much waste does
Australia currently store?
OVER 4000
CUBIC METRES OF
LOW LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE (LLW)
OVER 650
CUBIC METRES OF
INTERMEDIATE LEVEL WASTE (ILW).
This is equivalent to nearly
a quarter of Adelaide Oval.
What waste is proposed to be stored in a facility near Hawker in SA?
The national facility will permanently dispose of
Australia’s low level waste and temporarily store
Australia’s intermediate level radioactive waste.
Waste is largely generated from the production
of nuclear medicine, however it will also manage
Australian waste created from nuclear science,
hospitals and a range of other activities that
benefit all Australians. The Facility will only store
immobilised solid waste. No liquid, corrosive,
organic, reactive or other potentially volatile
materials will be accepted.
The Australian Government is currently
undertaking further community consultations
around the shortlisted site of Barndioota.
No decision to site the facility has been made,
rather technical and other studies are being carried
out to allow the community to provide an informed
view on their willingness to host the facility.
The Government will seek broad community
support before the site proceeds to the next
phase of the project. This process is separate to
the high level waste facility proposed by the
Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission.
For further information and enquiries about the Australian Government’s National
Radioactive Waste Management Facility, visit radioactivewaste.gov.au
What’s the difference?
100
Australian waste
(LLW and ILW)
Australian
Government process.
NG
N U C RO M T H E S
CYC LEAR FU
COMLE ROYAEL
L
M
REPOISSION
RT.
International
waste (HLW)
South Australian
Government process.
Strathalbyn
Locations
of radioactive Locations of radioactive
Aldinga Beach
material by postcode
waste by postcode
1–9
1–2
Where
is LLW of
and
ILW being stored?
Locations
radioactive
Locations of radioactive
10–30
material
by postcode
3–5
waste
by postcode
Lobethal
Adelaide
Nuclear waste material
is currently stored on a temporary basis at
6–12
licensed31–111
locations
across
Australia, including South
Australia.
1–9
1–2
This includes
sites at the Australian Nuclear Science
and Technology
10–30
3–5
Organisation at Lucas Heights near Sydney, the Royal Adelaide Hospital,
31–111
6–12
as well as in other metropolitan areas and regional towns and cities.
78
Gawler
DIFFERENT
FACILITIES IN SA.
Mount
Barker
Lobethal
Adelaide
Moomba
Coober Pedy
McLaren Vale
Moomba
Strathalbyn
Locations of radioactive Locations of radioactive
material by postcode
waste by postcode
1–9
1–2
10–30
3–5
31–111
6–12
Mount
Barker
Coober Pedy
Aldinga Beach
Olympic Dam
Leigh Creek
McLaren Vale
Strathalbyn
Aldinga Beach
Olympic Dam
Locations of radioactive Locations of radioactive
Evetts Field
Leigh Creek
material by postcode
Ceduna
Coober Pedy
Ceduna
Olympic Dam
1–2
10–30
3–5
31–111
6–12
Evetts Field
Radium Hill
Honeymoon
Port Pirie
Moomba
Port Augusta
Coober Pedy
Cleve
Cummins
Leigh Creek
Honeymoon
Port Augusta
Moomba
Streaky
Bay
Streaky
Bay
waste by postcode
1–9
Radium Hill
Clare
Port Pirie
Olympic Dam
Leigh Creek
Cleve
Port
Lincoln
Honeymoon
Cummins
Evetts Field
Ceduna
Evetts Field
Clare
Port Augusta
Port Augusta
Streaky
Bay
Honeymoon
Ceduna
Streaky
Bay
Radium Hill
Port Pirie
Radium Hill
Port Pirie
Adelaide
Cleve
Port
Lincoln
Cleve
Kingscote
Clare
Cummins
Port
Lincoln
Adelaide
Port
Lincoln
Adelaide
Adelaide
Clare
Cummins
Kingscote
KingstonKingston
S.E RobeS.E
Kingscote
Kingscote
Robe
Locations of radioactive Locations of radioactive
Kingston
S.E
Robe
material by postcode
Mount
Gambier
Kingston
MountS.E
Gambier
Robe
waste by postcode
1–9
1–2
10–30
3–5
31–111
6–12
Locations of radioactive Locations of radioactive
Mount
Gambier
material
by postcode
waste
by postcode
Locations
of radioactive
Locations of radioactive
Mount
Number of locations of radioactive material and waste
in the Adelaide
material by postcode
1–9
waste by postcode
metropolitan area and across South Australia
1–2
Locations of radioactive
Locations of radioactive
3–5
1–9
10–30
1–2
10–30by postcode
material
31–111
6–12
Gambier
Data courtesy of the Environment Protection Authority, South Australia
3–5 by postcode
waste
31–111
1–9
6–12
1–2
10–30
3–5
mber of locations of radioactive material and waste in the Adelaide
Storage of high level waste (used fuel).
The Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission found that there is a significant economic opportunity for
South Australia if it were to develop facilities for the storage and disposal of international (high level) used fuel
and intermediate level waste.
There are currently 390,000 tonnes of used fuel and 9.9 million cubic metres
of intermediate level waste around the world across 36 countries.
How is high level waste currently being stored?
The temporary solution to store high level waste is in cooling ponds for a minimum of 10 years. Waste is then
moved in to dry cask storage in an above ground storage facility.
Dry cask storage facility.
Cooling pond.
Images courtesy of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation.
There is international agreement that these storage options are temporary
solutions. The permanent, safe solution is to build a Geological Disposal
Facility (GDF) to isolate and contain used fuel for 100,000 years.
FIND
I
NG
N U C RO M TH E S
CYC LEAR FU
COMLE ROYA EL
L
M
REPOISSION
RT.
F
What is a geological
disposal facility?
A geological disposal facility (GDF)
contains and isolates high-level
radioactive waste from nuclear power
generation.
The facility isolates hazardous materials
from the human and natural environment
in a stable, underground facility, where
they will remain, protected from plants,
humans and other animals at the surface.
Geological disposal concept.
The concept of using deep geological
formations to dispose of high level radioactive
wastes was first proposed in the 1950s by
scientists in the United States.
455m below
ground level.
ONKALO SPENT
NUCLEAR FUEL
REPOSITORY IN FINLAND
Image courtesy of posiva.fi/en
With 60 years of global research and development, there is
international consensus that a GDF is the safest and most
cost effective permanent technique to store high level waste.
Several GDFs around the world are in development and
scheduled to begin operation in the next few years.
Every South Australian has an opportunity to learn more about the nuclear fuel cycle by discovering the facts,
understanding the choices, and providing their views on the Royal Commission’s Report. This is a discussion
about the state’s future that all South Australians can have, and will help guide the Government’s decision
making on the next steps.
Visit nuclear.sa.gov.au to find out more.