Australia is not prepared for AUKUS submarine's nuclear waste

The article highlights growing concerns about Australia's preparedness to manage nuclear waste from its planned fleet of nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS agreement. Australia is set to acquire about eight submarines fueled by highly-enriched uranium, which is considered military-grade and can theoretically be used for nuclear weapons. The nuclear waste generated will include intermediate-level radioactive waste (reactor compartments roughly the size of a four-wheel drive) and high-level waste (spent fuel roughly the size of a small hatchback), with the latter remaining dangerously radioactive for hundreds of thousands of years. Under the treaty, Australia is solely responsible for the storage, security, and disposal of this waste and is prohibited from exporting it. Critics emphasize that Australia currently lacks a clear plan, designated site, or cost estimates for handling this nuclear waste. The political challenge is compounded by the mismatch between the long-term environmental risks—spanning millennia—and short political cycles of 4-5 years, raising fears that the issue will be deferred to future generations