Appendix 5 - Australia's radioactive waste inventory[69]

Table 1: Current inventory and estimated annual arisings of low level and short-lived intermediate level waste

Waste Producer	Typical Waste	Estimated Current Volume (m³)	Estimated Future Annual Waste Arisings (m³)
ANSTO	Laboratory equipment - clothing, paper and glassware	1320	30
States & territories	Industrial gauges, exit signs, smoke detectors, medical sources, hospital waste which includes clothing, paper and glassware	160	5 - 10
CSIRO	Contaminated soil from research into radioactive ores in the 1950s and 1960s	2010	-
Defence	Electron tubes, radium painted watches, compasses, sealed sources	210	<5

In addition to the information listed in the table above, low level and short-lived intermediate level waste will be generated by the decommissioning of the High Flux Australian Reactor (HIFAR) and the replacement research reactor. Depending on the decommissioning options chosen, between 500 and 2,500 cubic metres of waste will be generated by the decommissioning of each reactor.

Long-lived intermediate level waste

Australia holds approximately 500 cubic metres of long-lived intermediate level radioactive waste. This includes waste from the production of radiopharmaceuticals wastes from mineral sands processing, and used sources from medical, research and industrial equipment.

Table 2: Current inventory of long-lived intermediate level waste

Waste Producer	Typical Waste	Estimated Current Volume (m³)
ANSTO	Target cans, alumina columns, used control arms, aluminium end pieces, solidified liquid waste – from reactor operation and research, and radioisotope production	205
Industry – historical waste	Thorium and uranium residues from mineral sands processing	165
States & territories	Used sources from medical, industrial and research equipment	100
Other Australian Government agencies	Used sources from medical and research equipment	35

Table 3: Estimated future annual arisings of long-lived intermediate level waste

Waste Producer	Typical Waste	Estimated Future Annual Waste Arisings (m³)
ANSTO – 2000-2005	Target cans, alumina columns, used control arms, aluminium end pieces, solidified liquid waste	1.53
ANSTO – post-2005	Target cans, alumina columns, used control arms, aluminium end pieces, solidified liquid waste	1.62
States & territories – 2000 onwards	Sealed sources from medical and research equipment	2
Other Australian Government agencies – 2000 onwards	Sealed sources from medical and research equipment	1

Table 4: Estimated future arisings of long-lived intermediate level waste generated by the decommissioning of HIFAR and the replacement research reactor

Waste Producer	Typical Waste	Estimated Future Waste Arisings (m³)
ANSTO – HIFAR, estimated date 2035	Core support structure	5
ANSTO – HIFAR, by 2020	Packaged reprocessed waste in cement Vitrified residues and compacted waste	20 6
ANSTO – replacement research reactor, estimated date 2075	Core support structure	<5
ANSTO – replacement research reactor, after 2025	Vitrified residues and compacted waste	20

Navigation: Previous Page | Contents