Status of the National Radioactive Waste Management Facility

ARWA’s presentation will discuss plans and progress in establishing the facility, including an explanation of radioactive waste management landscape in Australia, the need for the facility, concept design, and how use of the site will change over three operational phases – years 1 to 10, years 30-50, and year 100.

The Australian Radioactive Waste Agency (ARWA) was created in 2020 as Australia’s dedicated radioactive waste management organisation. It is responsible for the establishment of Australia’s first National Radioactive Waste Management Facility (the facility).

The facility, to be located near Kimba in South Australia, will be for the permanent disposal of legacy and future low level Australian radioactive waste and the temporary storage of intermediate level waste.

It will secure and support the ongoing production of nuclear medicines and diagnostics in Australia, through up-to-date management of existing and future wastes, and will make use of multiple, diverse, engineered and natural containment barriers.

Speaker

Daniel Pond
Manager, Design and Site, Technical and Safety Branch,
Australian Radioactive Waste Agency

Daniel has extensive experience in radioactive waste management, working in the policy, waste management, regulatory affairs, plant engineer, and specialist arenas.
Daniel’s team is responsible for the site characterisation, design, enabling works design, and detailed business case for the National Radioactive Waste Management Facility – the first facility of its kind in Australia.
Daniel has been with ARWA since early 2020, previously working in a variety of roles at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation and for the UK Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.