We currently sit within the department. In future, we will become a non-corporate Commonwealth entity (NCE) based in Adelaide, South Australia.
Our role and responsibilities
The agency was established in July 2020 to:
- manage Australia’s radioactive waste in line with domestic and international regulations
- deliver and operate Australia’s National Radioactive Waste Management Facility
- facilitate communication between government, industry, stakeholders, and local communities
- centralise best practice and knowledge about radioactive waste management, including developing a disposal pathway for intermediate level radioactive waste.
We will manage the full life-cycle of the facility:
- design
- construction
- licensing
- operation
- waste management, storage and disposal
- research and development
- decommissioning and closure.
Our work also involves:
- working with the independent regulator of Australian radioactive material, the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA), to ensure safety
- enabling Australia to meet international obligations under the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and Safety of Radioactive Waste Management.
Our staff
Our staff have the experience and skills to put ARWA at the forefront of the global nuclear waste management field. We aim to deliver a world class facility for Australia.