A $168 million nuclear medicine plant and Synroc waste treatment plant will be built at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), Lucas Heights campus, creating 250 new jobs in Sutherland Shire.
Federal Science Minister, Senator Chris Evans made the announcement in federal parliament last night.
The new medicine manufacturing plant will produce Molybdenum-99 which is used for the diagnosis of heart disease and cancers.
Planning for the nuclear medicine manufacturing plant and Synroc plant is under way, with construction to start in 2014 and be completed by the end of 2016.
The Synroc waste treatment plant will manage by-products from the manufacture of nuclear medicines.
ANSTO’s chief executive officer, Dr Adi Paterson, described the announcement as ‘‘an outstanding endorsement of ANSTO’s role, its performance and its future’’.
“ANSTO will go from supplying the medicine one in two Australians need to the nuclear medicine one in two people in the world receives,” he said.
Senator Evans said in a press release that the project would deliver a $1 billion return to Australia.
The plan will be delivered by ANSTO scientists using the existing low-enriched uranium reactor, the Open Pool Australian Lightwater (OPAL) nuclear reactor.
“Today is an important day for the 550,000 people who require a nuclear medicine procedure in Australia each year and the 45 million people across the globe who will be able to access Australian-produced nuclear medicine,” Senator Evans said.
“One in two Australians will receive a nuclear medicine procedure in their lifetime and about 80 per cent of those will require the use of Mo-99.
“This highlights Australia’s global and regional leadership on nuclear medical science.
“The initiative will help meet half the world’s needs for Mo-99.’’
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