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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
World
Tory Shepherd

‘Poison portal’: US and UK could send nuclear waste to Australia under Aukus, inquiry told

National flags of the USA, Australia and Great Britain are seen in front of the USS Asheville, a Los Angeles-class nuclear powered fast attack submarine
New legislation would allow for naval nuclear propulsion facilities to be created, including for storing or disposing of radioactive waste from Aukus submarines. Photograph: Richard Wainwright/AAP

Australia could become a “poison portal” for international radioactive waste under the Aukus deal, a parliamentary inquiry into nuclear safety legislation has heard.

New laws to establish a safety framework for Australia’s planned nuclear-powered submarines could also allow the US and UK to send waste here, while both of those countries are struggling to deal with their own waste, as no long-term, high-level waste facilities have been created.

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