NUCLEAR waste from ANSTO's decomissioned HIFAR nuclear reactor will be temporarily stored at Lucas Heights if the planned toxic waste dump in the Northern Territory is not ready by 2015, a spokesman for the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism told the Leader last week.

The "intermediate level waste" is returning to Australia after being reprocessed in Britain and France.

The spokesman said further planning would be undertaken to look at the best ways to transport and store the waste if it became clear it would be needed to be stored at Lucas Heights.

He said contractual agreements with France meant it had to return to Australia by 2015.