Halliburton surveyors working on fracking in West Texas lost a radioactive rod of americium-241/beryllium alongside a highway, which was fortunately spotted some time later by an oil field worker.
“Individuals who swallow or inhale contaminated particulate matter experience a heightened risk for some types of cancer. Though the substances are relatively common in more advanced technology, including smoke detectors, the quantity misplaced by Halliburton workers was cause for serious concern.”
Halliburton has changed its name to avoid the trail of scandals, and has moved its headquarters to another country, but profiteering off disasters, cutting corners and passing the buck to the private sector is still their way of doing business.
When the BP oil spill happened, few of us were surprised to discover that Halliburton cement seals were a cause. The seals had failed several tests but Halliburton kept that information secret and then destroyed some of the evidence.