TWIN $168 million nuclear medicine and synroc waste treatment plants to be built at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) at Lucas Heights will provide 250 jobs and put Australia at the forefront of global nuclear medicine.
It is expected to generate an estimated $1 billion for the Australian economy.
The new nuclear medicine manufacturing plant will produce molybdenum-99 (Mo-99), used for the diagnosis of heart disease and cancers, with other applications including bone oncology, neurology and treatment of kidney and gastrointestinal tract disorders.
The world's first synroc waste treatment plant will also be constructed to manage byproducts from the manufacture of nuclear medicines.
Federal Science and Research Minister Chris Evans announced the project in Federal Parliament last week, saying the plant would meet half the world's needs for Mo-99.
"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," Senator Evans said.
The new synroc waste plant will reduce the volume of nuclear byproducts by 99 per cent compared with other methods.
Synroc, a synthetic rock for the safe storage of radioactive waste, was developed in Australia.
This will eventually go to a national radioactive waste management facility to be built later this decade.
ANSTO general manager commercial operations, Shaun Jenkinson, said the Mo-99 manufacturing plant would allow Australia to take a leading role in supplying the world market.
‘‘We currently have a capacity to produce 1000 units a week of the nuclear medicine Mo-99,’’ Mr Jenkinson said.
‘‘The new facility will be able to make 3500 units per week.
‘‘We currently supply all the needs of the Australian market and export a small amount.
‘‘Our current processing facility comes to the end of its life in 2017.
‘‘The new facility will be on-line at the end of 2015, so the Australian market will be secured.’’
He said ANSTO could currently supply up to 5 per cent of the world market and would be able to increase that to 20 per cent.
‘‘In 2016 a reactor in Canada shuts down that currently has the ability to do up to 40 per cent of the world’s supply, so the timing is critical.
‘‘This means Australia can take a leading role in the world market.’’
Mr Jenkinson said the new nuclear medicine manufacturing facility would employ 100 people, of which 65 would be new positions.
ANSTO would also employ another 150 during construction.
‘‘In addition to this we will have the synroc plant to deal with waste. It will mean we will be able to
sell the synroc technology around the world. It potentially could reap billions.’’
The plan will utilise the existing low-enriched uranium Open Pool Australian Lightwater (OPAL) reactor.
INTERIM SOLUTION
Federal Liberal MP for Hughes Craig Kelly welcomed the announcement, but said finding a long-term repository for nuclear waste remained a ‘‘top priority’’.
Mr Kelly said one in two Australians benefited from nuclear medicine over their lifetime, and the Lucas Heights facility provided access to these remarkable medical advances and cures.
“The construction of a nuclear medicine manufacturing plant will expand ANSTO’s capacity to produce these life-saving medicines,’’ he said.
Mr Kelly said it would also bring more than 200 new jobs to the area.
“In saying this, it is important that progress to establish a national repository in outback Australia for the long-term storage of low and intermediate level waste continues.’’
GREENS CRITICAL
The Greens believe construction of the new plants could be an investment in out-of-date technology.
Production of Mo-99 has traditionally involved a nuclear reactor to bombard a target. However, work is going on
in the US to develop non-reactor solutions.
Greens MP John Kaye, spokesman on science and medical research in State Parliament, said while finding a long-term solution to the production of this medical isotope was important, ANSTO had ‘‘rushed in to find a use for its reactor’’.
He said ANSTO was desperate to justify the public money already spent on building its OPAL reactor.
‘‘If it weren’t for ANSTO’s desperate need to justify the public money spent on building the OPAL reactor, a much less dangerous and potentially cheaper non-reactor solution could have been developed,’’ Dr Kaye said.
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