Australia's nuclear waste site confirmed in 2021 to be near Kimba on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula

An artist's impression of the 211ha nuclear waste plant to be built in Napandee, near Kimba on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula.

A property near town of Kimba on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula was officially selected in 2021 as the Australian government’s site for a $325 million national nuclear waste plant. 

Federal resources and water minister Keith Pitt announced that 211 hectares had been bought at a property in Napandee, 24 kilometres west of Kimba, to build the plant. The waste plant, to store low-level radioactive waste permanently and some intermediate waste for several decades, would be overseen by the Australian Radioactive Waste Agency.

Pitt said the plant would be “a solution that has eluded consecutive governments for more than 40 years”. Australia’s radioactive waste, mainly a byproduct of nuclear medicine, was stored at more than 100 locations around the country, including in universities and hospitals. Nuclear medicine was used to diagnose heart, lung and muscular-skeletal conditions as well as treating specific cancers.

Pitt said the byproduct of nuclear medicine was low-level radioactive waste: “Along with the benefits comes a responsibility to manage the byproducts. Without (a plant like Kimba’s), we can’t enjoy the benefits from vital nuclear medicines on an ongoing basis”. The nuclear waste plant would create 45 permanent jobs in the Kimba community, in security, administration, environmental monitoring, scientific services, health and safety.

Kimba being selected as the site for the plant divided the local community. Opponents believed a nuclear waste dump would ruin the area’s clean green image, although a ballot run by Kimba Council in 2019 found 62% of residents supported the plant. The Barngarla Determination Aboriginal Corporation argued it was not consulted about the site and had flagged it would ask for a judicial review of the Kimba decision.