In January 2019 Uni Sydney decommissioned kit (a positron emission tomography scanner, to be particular) which included a radioactive source

But the university did not get the proper permissions for disposing/transporting the hot-stuff.

In the end no harm was done, although this was “fortuitous” rather than due to any actions of the university.

Of which the NSW Environmental Protection Agency took a dim view indeed,prosecuting the university in the state’s Land and Environment Court.

Apparently recognising that when one has dug a radioactive isotope hole the best thing is to stop digging, the university cooperated with the prosecutor, promised to improve  and pleaded guilty, albeit at a late stage, to both charges.

The court discounted one fine by 15 per cent and the other by 10 per cent for a total of $61 000.