Australian road workers sick after exposure to radioactive material during upgrade to highway

April 18th, 2012 - Road workers have become sick after finding suspected radioactive material during an upgrade to the Pacific Highway on the NSW mid north coast of Australia.
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

...workers became sick after unearthing a strange clay-like material near Port Macquarie. Mr Higgins has told the ABC a number of workers felt nausea and some vomited when they were close to the material. "

"As we've taken down the cutting there we exposed the face of the existing material [and] came across a clay material that when it's exposed to air it gets an orange streak through it.

A truck carrying radioactive waste from Sydney's Lucas Heights nuclear reactor was involved in a crash on that stretch of highway in 1980 and the waste was subsequently buried near the crash site.

They think that might be the source of this contamination, but they're still investigating. And people wonder why transporting radioactive waste is dangerous, (and that longago, from 1980, to boot)???

The ABC reported the material was being taken to Brisbane before being shipped to the US

Nice to know they are shipping their "newly found" toxic crap here to my country...

And yes, I realize I posted it under Japan's Crisis. I was going to post it under Fragile Earth, but decided it's educational for those involved with Japan, because of all the hidden dangers like this one they are going to face for decades or more now due to the Fukushima accident.Of course if Mods want to move it, that's ok too.

Greens MP and environment spokeswoman Cate Faehrmann accused the NSW government of putting workers and the environment at risk. "The government knew that highly radioactive waste was there somewhere, but presumably just hoped it would never resurface," Ms Faehrmann said.

Hmm, sound like TEPCO and the Japanese government???

"There is potential for serious long-term health impacts from exposure to radioactive waste. The fact that some have reported to have vomited during the discovery is extremely worrying.

I would have to agree. :

I know you found this on RSOE, but could you please provide the link.

Edit: Below, no problem

There is more about the story here, plus a phone interview.

Could be a cover up, but they say it's not radioactive waste.
www.canberratimes.com.au...

Roads Minister Duncan Gay said that independent chemical experts have failed to find any radioactive material at the Pacific Highway worksite. Five workers today felt nauseous and were given medical treatment, a spokeswoman for the Roads Minister confirmed. They have now been "cleared of any symptoms", a spokeswoman said. Read more: www.canberratimes.com.au...

It all sounds very confusing

reply to post by Mianeye

Oops thanks. Didn't mean to overlook that, very important.