ARPANSA - Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency

Regulatory Guidance for Radioactive Waste Management Facilities:Near Surface Disposal Facilities; and Storage Facilities

Regulatory Guidance for Radioactive Waste Management Facilities (PDF 585kb)

This Guidance is intended to be used in relation to applications made under the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act 1998 for a facility licence to prepare a site for, to construct, or to operate radioactive waste management facilities, being:

• a radioactive waste disposal facility (near surface)
• a radioactive waste store.

The Regulatory Guidance is intended to assist applicants in preparing the information that should be provided in any such application. The Guidance addresses siting, construction and operation. It would be expected that more detailed information would be supplied as a proposed facility was developed through the licensing stages.

The Regulatory Guidance is directed at radioactive waste management facilities that involve an inventory of radionuclides that would qualify as nuclear installations under section 13 of the ARPANS Act. Aspects of the Guidance may be applicable to smaller radioactive waste management facilities that would be defined as prescribed radiation facilities under the Act.

PUBLIC SUBMISSIONS

ARPANSA released the draft Regulatory Guidance for Radioactive Waste Management Facilities for a period of public comment from 19 December 2005 to 28 April 2006. The Guidance was revised in light of the comments received. The revised draft of the Guidance was discussed at the November 2006 meeting of the Nuclear Safety Committee.

Responses to the individual matters raised in the submissions from the public and public/community groups, other that the issue if public consultation and acceptance, are set out in Attachment A. A response to the matters raised by the Northern Territory Government is at Attachment B.

• Response to public submissions on draft Guidance (PDF 87kb)
• Attachment A (PDF 125kb)
• Attachment B (PDF 25kb)

A copy of the invitation to make submissions and the consultation draft of the Guidance are provided below:

• Invitation to Make Submissions (PDF 124kb)
• Draft Regulatory Guidance for Radioactive Waste Management Facilities (PDF 805kb)

SUBMISSIONS RECEIVED

Submissions closed on 28 April 2006

356 submissions were received:

• 10 public submissions from organisations;
• 11 personal submissions; and
• 335 form letter submissions

Copies of the submissions are available via the links below:

Public submissions from organisations (10)

• Department of Education, Science and Training -
  Submission 1 (PDF 9kb) | Submission 2 (PDF 138kb)
• Friends of the Earth (PDF 30kb)
• Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (PDF 89kb)
• Alice Action (PDF 24kb)
• The Environment Centre Inc., NT (PDF 52kb)
• The Arid Lands Environment Centre Inc., NT (PDF 51kb)
• The Australian Conservation Foundation (PDF 41kb)
• Darwin's No Waste Alliance (PDF 59kb)
• Central Land Council (PDF 61kb)
• Northern Territory Government (PDF 192kb)

Personal submissions (11)

• Adam Dempsey (PDF 21kb)
• Robyn Aldrick (PDF 21kb)
• Filomena Ferro (PDF 21kb)
• Dale Shaddick (PDF 21kb)
• Dean Duncan (PDF 23kb)
• Jude Mapleson (PDF 8kb)
• Julie Taylor (PDF 70kb)
• Ruth Apelt (PDF 10kb)
• Claire McCall (PDF 9kb)
• Pat Finegan (PDF 9kb)
• Benjo Keaney (PDF 9kb)

Form letters (335)

• Sample Form Letter Submission (PDF 78kb). List of submitters/335 submissions (PDF 31kb)

ARPANSA thanks all those who made submissions and will take the comment into account in preparing the final Regulatory Guidance.

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