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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 6 Hansard (25 May) . . Page.. 1955 ..

3. Only low-level radioactive waste is accepted for disposal at West Belconnen landfill. Low-level radioactive waste is normally generated from hospitals, laboratories and industry. It comprises paper, rags, tools, clothing, filters etc., which contain small amounts of mostly short-lived radioactivity. It is not dangerous to handle, but must be disposed of more carefully than normal garbage. Usually it is buried in shallow landfill sites. Worldwide it comprises 90% of the volume but only 1% of the radioactivity of all 'radwaste'. The low-level radioactive waste accepted for disposal at West Belconnen landfill is generated from research institutes, laboratories and hospitals within the ACT.

4. The disposal of radioactive waste in the ACT is controlled by the Radiation Act under which Disposal Permits are issued by the ACT Radiation Council and by the Environment Protection Act under which landfill licence conditions are set and approvals issued by Environment ACT.

5. The radioactive waste is delivered to the landfill in conventional vehicles bearing the radioactive symbol. The waste containers are also clearly labelled with the radioactive symbol.

6. The radioactive waste is buried at the West Belconnen landfill in the dedicated radiation site that is removed from the general tipping face and within the leachate control area. A person cannot dispose of radioactive waste except in accordance with a disposal permit issued by the Radiation Council. The Radiation Council is required to assess each application and ensure that the proposed method of disposal complies with the criteria detailed in the Radiation Act. The National Health and Medical Research Council's Code of Practice for the Disposal of Radioactive Wastes by the User (1985) is used as the primary reference for the technical criteria. A Radiation Inspector appointed in accordance with the Radiation Act attends each disposal and the packages are tested to ensure that they comply with the requirements detailed in the relevant disposal permit. Radiation monitors are supplied for staff who are involved with the radioactive waste disposal and these monitors are sent away for exposure level testing following the disposal.

7. A person cannot dispose of radioactive waste except in accordance with a disposal permit issued by the Radiation Council. A Radiation Inspector attends each disposal to ensure compliance with the requirements detailed in the relevant disposal permit.

8. A Radiation Inspector appointed in accordance with the Radiation Act attends each disposal and the level of radiation in the packages is tested to ensure that they comply with the requirements detailed in the relevant disposal permit.

9. All radioactive waste disposed of at West Belconnen is recorded in a database. The radioactive waste disposal site is surveyed regularly and its location recorded.