ERA says its Uranium Transport in Line with Guidelines

Uranium (Nuclear Minerals) / Related Environmental Issues / Environmental Impact - Cases, Nuclear Wastes (Used Fuel)

Date posted: 02/01/15

Vicky Validakis reports that uranium miner Energy Resources of Australia says transporting barrels of geological samples on the back of a pick-up truck poses no risk to the community after a photo emerged of this occurring in the Northern Territory. The photo shows a vehicle carrying two green barrels featuring radio-active warning stickers being driven down the Arnhem Highway. The barrels were tied to the truck with rope, and Australian Mining understands the samples were being transported from Darwin 230 km east to the Ranger mine site. ERA said while the practice was in accordance with guidelines the company was reviewing what had occurred on this occasion. ERA normal practice is to have them contained in sealed drums and placed in an enclosed box, the company said in a statement. It said the material in the barrels did not contain any processed uranium ore and were only geological, aka exploration - samples. ERA has come under fire from Nuclear Free NT who says transporting the material in this way is dangerous, ABC reports. It really boggles the mind that a company under the spotlight as ERA are at the moment, with three separate investigations into the regulation of their mine ongoing, that they are not taking a closer look at how people feel about this kind of dangerous cargo being transported on their roads, spokeswoman Lauren Mellor said. However the company says the material did not pose a risk to the public. At no time was there any danger to community health from the carriage of the drums, ERA said. This story is another example of the small press pandering to misinformed and ignorant people who remain afraid of radioactivity in general and who do not know that the radioactivity in the barrels are so low as to represent an insignificant impact on human and other animal health. Also an example of Luddites overreacting technology they do not understand.