Technology and safety issues are central to the integrated management and safe disposal of spent nuclear fuel. Mature technology is already available for all stages of the handling of spent fuel and only final disposal has yet to be demonstrated. Substantial experience already confirms that all operations involving spent fuel, including its reprocessing and the immobilisation of HLW, can be conducted very safely. The SSG considered that Australian participation in spent fuel management would give Australia significant additional influence in strengthening the international nuclear non-proliferation regime. It could also deliver more tangible benefits for Australia, including foreign exchange earnings, a high-technology industry base and employment opportunities.
Public acceptance is a primary concern to be addressed in any nuclear waste management enterprise.
A policy of continuous disclosure and accountability would be essential to earn public acceptance. The advantageous properties of Synroc as a wasteform, including its outstanding chemical durability and resistance to leaching at elevated temperatures, have been recognised throughout the world. However, development work on a commercial basis is required before its application to civil wastes. It was hoped that this would open up an opportunity for the application of Synroc in parallel with glass. In 1997 it was announced that Synroc would be tested using high-level radioactive waste loads.