On 10 October 2015,  Northern Police Search and Rescue received a request from Aussar Canberra, regarding an Emergency Position Indication Radio Beacon (E.P.I.R.B) that had been activated in Northern Tasmania.

The EPIRB had been heard by a number of overflying aircraft, resulting in a search and rescue activation. A Dornier tracking aircraft was tasked from Essendon, Victoria along with the Westpac Police Rescue Helicopter from Hobart.

The aircraft spent considerable time searching for the beacon, which was tracked to the area of the Deloraine Refuse Disposal Site.

Police ground crews then utilised Direction Finding equipment to locate the beacon. The beacon had been thrown onto the face of the disposal site within the last few days and then had been activated by the movement of other rubbish around it.

Senior Sergeant Mike Gillies of Northern Police Search and Rescue expressed his disappointment at the carelessness of the disposal which resulted in the use of a number of valuable local and national Search and Rescue resources which were not otherwise available for legitimate emergency situations, while placing the crew of these assets at unnecessary risk.

Anyone with an EPIRB requiring disposal should take it to their local Battery World outlet, who will deactivate the beacon prior to disposal.