Radioactive waste from medical and scientific research in the ACT could be moved to a national nuclear waste dump as the government considers six short-listed locations

A small amount of radioactive waste created by ACT laboratories is currently buried at the Mugga Lane tip, stored at the Canberra Hospital, or disposed of in general waste under strict conditions.

Radioactive waste could be moved from Canberra to a national facility.

On Thursday, the Turnbull government released a shortlist of six sites that are in the running to host Australia's first permanent nuclear waste dump for low-level and intermediate waste.

The six sites have been chosen from 28 voluntarily nominated sites around Australia and are at Sallys Flat in NSW, Hale in the Northern Territory, Cortlinye, Pinkawillinie and Barndioota in South Australia and Oman Ama in Queensland.