<
https://theconversation.com/australia-hasnt-figured-out-low-level-nuclear-waste-storage-yet-let-alone-high-level-waste-from-submarines-201781>
"Within ten years, Australia could be in possession of three American-made
Virginia-class nuclear submarines under the AUKUS agreement with the United
States and United Kingdom. The following decade, we plan to build five
next-generation nuclear submarines.
To date, criticism of the deal has largely focused on whether our unstable
geopolitical environment and China’s military investment means it’s worth
spending up to A$368 billion on eight submarines as a deterrent.
But nuclear submarines mean nuclear waste. And for decades, Australia has
failed to find a suitable place for the long-term storage of our small
quantities of low and intermediate level nuclear waste from medical isotopes
and the Lucas Heights research reactor.
With this deal, we have committed ourselves to managing highly radioactive
reactor waste when these submarines are decommissioned – and guarding it, given
the fuel for these submarines is weapons-grade uranium.
Where will it be stored? The government says it will be on defence land, making
the most likely site Woomera in South Australia."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
