Content under review
The information on this webpage may no longer be current. This follows a Federal Court order to set aside the National Radioactive Waste Management Facility site declaration. Read about the decision.
23 August 2023
Radioactive materials are used in:
- medicine
- scientific research
- industry
- agriculture
- technology.
They’re used to diagnose many heart, lung and musculoskeletal conditions and treat specific types of cancer. It’s likely that all Australians will benefit from nuclear medicine in their lifetime.
With these benefits comes a responsibility to safely manage, store and dispose of radioactive waste.
Managing radioactive waste
We store radioactive waste in many locations around the country, including hospitals, science facilities and universities. While safe, these facilities are not purpose-built, and long-term management of Australia’s waste at these locations is not sustainable.
We are working to build a single, purpose-built facility to responsibly manage and safely store and dispose of radioactive waste. Any material accepted at the facility must meet strict waste acceptance criteria.