Antinuclear

The finding from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) comes more than two years after a report raised concerns about the possible leaking of nuclear waste at the site.

In April, 2016, the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) inspected the Woomera site and reported a number of concerns surrounding many of the barrels, which hold material from tests at Melbourne’s Fisherman’s Bend dating back to the 1950s.

The Federal Government is looking to store low-level nuclear waste temporarily store intermediate level waste at one of two locations near Kimba, or one at Barndioota, near Hawker, in the Flinders Ranges……….

Woomera was a rocket testing base in the 1950s and is still a defence systems testing facility…….

Once analysed, any low or intermediate-level nuclear waste at Woomera would likely be moved to the proposed national nuclear waste management storage facility.

Movement of waste ‘a risk’   Mara Bonacci, of the Conservation Council of South Australia, said the issues with the barrels highlighted the dangers of nuclear waste storage.

“It’s a shame that after only 30 years, the 10,000 barrels have been stored there are already compromised and potentially dangerous,” Ms Bonacci said.”It doesn’t instil a great deal of confidence in Australia’s handling of radioactive waste at all, which leads to concerns about the current federal proposal for the radioactive waste management facility.

“I’m glad they’re onto it but it’s a shame that it has to happen at all and it’s going to cost the taxpayer $30 million.

Ms Bonacci said the movement of the waste to a proposed waste management storage facility at either Kimba or Hawker in South Australia was a risk.

“They want to move intermediate level waste — which is higher level waste to what is at Woomera — they want to move that from Lucas Heights … to a remote area for interim storage and then move it again.

Communities are concerned that waste will be forgotten about, that it may be compromised.

“It’s expensive, it’s double-handling and it doesn’t make sense.

“If the Woomera waste hasn’t been handled that well and it is deteriorating then it doesn’t instil confidence in the proposal to move it to a remote community.”

…….. The spokesperson for the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science  said the transport, storage and disposal of nuclear would be under strict regulations enforced by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA).

The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) declined ABC requests to comment.

Remediation could take years

Dr Mallants said a study into the structural integrity of the barrels was ongoing in conjunction with experts including the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO).

“We’re using very small robots and vehicles that can drive underneath the stack of drums they have cameras so they can look for leaks, we also have some robots that have the ability to measure the level of radiation under those drums.”

He said understanding the level of radiation material had in the barrels was a key next step in the remediation process……… Further initial tests in the remediation process were expected to take another 12 to 24 months, with waste processing at Woomera expected to take between five and 10 years. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-01/woomera-nuclear-waste-barrels-not-contaminated-study-finds/9994028