m:A. AUSTRALIA,,,!-PRESS STATEMENT by the Minister for National Development and Energy

v.

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COMPLETION OF MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AT MARALINGA

1  The Minister for National Development and Energy,

Senator J.L. Garrick, announced today that a program of

radioactive waste management had been completed at the

former atomic weapons test range at Maralinga in South

Australia. The range was the site of United Kingdom

nuclear weapons test explosions in 1956 and 1957; in

addition a series of minor experiments involving nuclear

materials were undertaken there between 1956 and 1963.

The management program was undertaken in .

accordance with recommendations made by the Australian

Ionising Radiation Advisory Council (AIRAC) in its report

"Radiological safety and future land use at the Maralinga

atomic weapons test range" which was tabled in Parliament

on 30 May 1979. The report concluded, inter alia, that

residual radiation at the sites of the nuclear test

explosions presented little hazard, and made a number

of recommendations with regard to identification of' test

sites, fencing of burial areas, capping with concrete of

some burial pits and future management of the area.

The recent management program was carried out

by the Department of Housing and Construction, with

radiological monitoring provided by the Australian Atomic

Energy Commission. With the completion of this program,

the situation at Maralinga is as follows: Ã¢ÂÂ

.  Â·  The sites of all nuclear explosions and a

number of minor test sites have been identified

by concrete plinths

. ‘  Areas where radiation levels remain above

internationally recommended limits for

continuous occupancy have been signposted

with multi-lingual warning signs advising,

against permanent occupation. Six sites are

2.

involved, each a few hundred metres in

diameter. .  Â·  .  .

Burial pits containing potentially hazardous

radioactive material have been capped with

heavy concrete slabs and have been enclosed

by high cyclone fencing with multilingual warning

signs prohibiting access.

Signs warning against removal of any residual

materials have been erected near test sites.

Future radiological surveys will be undertaken

as recommended by AIRAC.

Concrete plinths and warning signs have also

been erected at the two former nuclear test

sites at Emu, 200km north of Maralinga (the .

Emu range was used by the United Kingdom in

1953 and subsequently abandoned in favour of

Maralinga).

e

All major test sites lie within the Woomera

Prohibited Area. Permission to enter Maralinga must be

obtained from the Department of National Development and

Energy.

Canberra  25 March 1980

.  .  Inquiries: Mr R.Z.de Ferranti

(062) 458219 (office)  (062) 864079 (home)

