The federal resources minister says the loss and eventual recovery of a tiny radioactive capsule in Western Australia should prompt more care in the way such material is transported.
The loss of the radioactive widget as it was being transported by a Rio Tinto contractor from a Pilbara mine site to Perth, 1,400 kilometres away, sparked an emergency statewide search until it was recovered on Wednesday morning.
While praising the work of authorities who found the proverbial needle in the haystack, Resources Minister Madeleine King said the situation was far from ideal.
"As Rio Tinto said, it should not have been lost," she said.
"It's hard to understand how this happened, so they need to learn how this happened and make sure there are better provisions for storage."
Low-grade radioactive material used for medical and industrial purposes is routinely transported in Australia and Ms King says safety is critical.
"It's stored in hundreds of places right around the country, so it is really important that we are very careful about it and very strict about the management," she said.
Incident baffles safety expert
Dangerous cargo such as explosives, fertiliser and fuel is a common sight on highways and other major roads across regional WA.
The movement of these materials are subject to the Dangerous Goods Safety Act 2004.
University of New South Wales occupational health, safety and risk expert Michael Quinlan said it was baffling the capsule was not properly secured.
"You would think that the storage of any radioactive material would be quite careful," he said.
"I think the mines department, and also the department dealing with transport, would be rather interested in finding out what was the root cause of this."
The appropriateness of penalties for the loss and unsafe transport of radioactive material in WA is also set to come under scrutiny following criticism from multiple sources, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Annual reports for the WA Radiological Council, which oversees the safe use and transportation of radioactive material within WA, detail a limited number of prosecutions for mishandling of material in recent years.
The council's 2008 report highlights the investigation and prosecution of a transport company for breaching several key regulations.
The company eventually pleaded guilty, but was fined $2,500 and ordered to pay $1,269 in court costs.
Dr Quinlan said the risks associated with transporting radioactive material needed to be reassessed.
"What they need to do with the investigation is find out how widespread this practice is," he said.
"If you don't intervene at this stage, eventually you get a hit and something more dangerous will happen down the track.
"This is your classic warning signal."
Additional reporting by Rosemary Murphy.
