ABOUT 80 drums of radioactive waste has been earmarked to be shifted 450km from Edinburgh RAAF base to a new waste dump at Woomera.

The Defence Department is seeking licence approvals to turn an old explosives storage building into the Koolymilka Waste Storage Facility in the Woomera Prohibited area.

Defence has told The Advertiser that it also plans to shift 206 44-gallon (194 litres) drums – or about 40 cubic metres – from a nearby Woomera site for the new "temporary" waste dump.

Five years ago, the Federal Government scrapped plans to build a low-level nuclear waste dump near Woomera after strong opposition from the State Government – and moves to establish a permanent facility have stalled ever since.

While the State Government has raised no objections to yet another "temporary" facility being established, it is worried about radioactive waste being transported through the state, especially if it is trucked.

"Any movement of radioactive waste is a matter of serious concern to this Government," Environment Minister Jay Weatherill said.

"I have asked the EPA (Environment Protection Authority) to seek detailed information from the Defence Department about its plans and it will monitor the issue very closely."

The Defence Department only provided a small list to The Advertiser of the types of "low and intermediate" waste that will be held in storage, including valves from radar and telecommunications equipment, luminous aircraft dials and smoke detectors.

But it made no mention of suggestions that it would also house contaminated soil from an old CSIRO site in Melbourne and other radioactive material from medical and research facilities from around the nation.

Defence, however, wanted to stress the security of the new facility.

"It will utilise a pre-existing above-ground explosives storage building, refurbished to suit its new role," a Defence statement says.

"The building is constructed of brick and reinforced concrete and is located inside a security fence."

The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency is assessing the plan.