There is a long history of companies proposing to store nuclear waste in WA. From Pangea (now named ARIUS) who proposed storing international nuclear waste in WA to more recent proposals from Azark to store the nations nuclear waste in Leonora – each proposal has been met with fierce community opposition.
Leonora: A company known as Azark put in an unsuccessful nomination to host the National Radioactive Waste Facility in Leonora WA. The proposal was opposed by the local community who wrote letters and petitions to the Federal Government and State Government to show the community opposition to the proposal. Azark held one community meeting in Leonora where the community voiced their opposition and asked questions Azark were unable to answer, promises of a second meeting have never been realised. Azark continue to agitate for the Leonora site to become a National Radioactive Waste facility despite community opposition and state legislation that prohibits the transportation and dumping of nuclear waste.
Badga: During the nomination process for nuclear waste sites in 2015 a mining company nominated the mine site as a potential site. This was met with community opposition from traditional owners, councillors and local members of parliament. The nomination was not accepted. Different group wrote to the Federal government to voice this opposition
Kunpa: A local Ngaanyatjarra man nominated a site known as Kunpa. The proposal was fiercely opposed by other Ngaanyatjarra community members who wrote to the Federal government to voice their opposition. The nomination was not accepted.
It’s also believed that a site in the Pilbara and the South West were also nominated during the 2015 nominations process but were not advanced. At the time communities were unaware of the nominations and details.
For more information on the current push for a national radioactive waste facility go to https://www.acf.org.au/no_dump
WA Nuclear Free Alliance 