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.
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:
- enabling Australia to meet international obligations under the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and Safety of Radioactive Waste Management
- working with the independent regulator of Australian radioactive material, the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA), to ensure safety.
ARWA-ARPANSA Liaison Forum
We meet regularly with ARPANSA for strategic discussions about:
- regulatory requirements
- international and national developments in radiation and nuclear safety
- security and emergency preparedness response for radioactive waste management.