Australian Nuclear Association

Member of the Pacific Nuclear Council
Member of the International Nuclear Societies Council
Affiliate of the World Nuclear Association









Meeting Reports

MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE IN AUSTRALIA

Dr John Harries

President, Australian Nuclear Association

The presidential address was presented following the Annual General Meeting on 18 August 2006 in the AINSE Theatre Lucas Heights

Radioactive waste continues to be an emotive topic in Australia.  Many media reports appear to be based on a perceived wisdom that radioactive waste is extremely dangerous; much more dangerous than radioactivity in use.  It is therefore useful to compare the radioactivity and radiation levels of radioactive waste in Australia with naturally occurring radioactivity and radiation.  The wide range of hazards and half-lives of the radionuclides in radioactive waste is difficult to communicate and there always seem to be exceptions when simple means are used to categorise radioactive waste - whether it be “half-life”, “long-lived and short-lived”, “low level and intermediate level” or “becquerels”.  This talk described the types of radioactive waste and how it is managed in Australia, the regulatory regimes and some overseas facilities used to dispose of radioactive waste similar to the waste in Australia.


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Last updated on: 10 October 2006