The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) is encouraging the local community to get involved in the public consultation process about the proposed new infrastructure at its Lucas Heights campus.
The independent nuclear regulator, the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA), has launched a statutory public consultation process after receiving license applications for two new pieces of infrastructure:
- Announced in May 2012: A purpose‐built store to temporarily hold Intermediate Level Waste (ILW). In the 1990s and 2000s, used fuel generated at ANSTO from 50 years of nuclear medicine manufacturing was exported to France for treatment to make it suitable for permanent storage in a suitable repository. The waste will return in 2015 and, subject to regulatory approval, will be held in the proposed interim store until Australia’s National Radioactive Waste Management Facility constructed. (For details, see http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/C2012A00029)
- Announced in September 2012: An export-scale manufacturing plant for the nuclear medicine molybdenum-99 (Mo-99), which becomes technetium-99m (Tc-99m) and is used for diagnosis of heart disease and cancer. In Australia, each year 550,000 people receive a diagnosis using this medicine. World demand for the medicine is increasing and supply is falling and this factory will enable Australia to help meet demand locally and globally with medicine produced from Low Enriched Uranium.
Copies of the applications are available at www.arpansa.gov.au/Regulation/Branch/consultation.cfm.
An information session will be held from 6pm on 16 May 2013 (Hall 1, Engadine Community Centre. 1034-1036 Old Princes Highway). Public submissions are invited until 12 June.
Dr Adi Paterson is ANSTO’s Chief Executive Officer, and is a local Sutherland Shire resident.
“ANSTO has 60 years of expertise in managing nuclear infrastructure right here in the Shire, and I encourage the local community to get involved, view the plans, come to the information session and be an important part of the process,” said Dr Paterson.
“ANSTO has a long, proud tradition of working closely with our community. Around half our employees come from the area, and we have worked with local families, businesses and the Council as our Lucas Heights campus has evolved into the state-of-the-art national science facility it is today.
“We’ll be at the community meeting and we’ll be responding to issues raised in submissions. I encourage anyone wanting more information about the important work we do to have a look on our website and give us a call to join the thousands of people who do a tour of ANSTO each year.”