Our staff have the experience and skills to put ARWA at the forefront of the global nuclear waste management field.
Our roles and responsibilities
ARWA's role is to:
- understand the national radioactive waste inventory
- develop strategies to manage radioactive waste
- implement agreed plans for managing and disposing of radioactive waste.
Our work also involves:
- enabling Australia to meet international obligations under the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and Safety of Radioactive Waste Management
- facilitating communication between government, industry, stakeholders, and local communities
- working with the independent regulator of Australian radioactive material, the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA), to ensure safety.
Read about our past siting activities including our process for the site at Napandee, near Kimba in South Australia.
Who regulates Commonwealth radioactive waste
The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) is the Australian Government’s primary authority on radiation protection and nuclear safety. It is responsible for independently regulating the use of radiation by Commonwealth entities, including licensing, compliance, inspection, and enforcement.
The Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office (ASNO) ensures Australia’s international obligations are met. These obligations fall under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and Australia’s NPT safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Australia is a member of the IAEA. The IAEA sets international standards for safely managing radioactive waste.
ARWA-ARPANSA Liaison Forum
We meet regularly with ARPANSA for strategic discussions about:
- regulatory requirements
- international and national developments in radiation and nuclear safety
- security and emergency preparedness response for radioactive waste management.