Authorities cop fire over response to ant ‘super pest’
Critics have blasted the federal government for "failing to grasp the urgency" of tackling potentially devastating invasive fire ant incursions.
hazardous materials
Drinking water chemical limits hard to swallow for some
Guidelines for potential cancer-causing chemicals allowed in Australian drinking water have been released, with at least one region failing to meet them.
Trial for tech that strips forever chemicals from water
There's rising global concern about a vast family of toxic man-made chemicals but Queensland scientists have developed a promising new solution.
Landowners lock the gate on mandatory fire ant baiting
A national program designed to stop the march of a deadly and destructive super pest is facing rising community resistance to mandatory baiting.
More cash to recycle soft plastic after REDcycle fiasco
More than 43,000 tonnes of hard to recycle plastics will be diverted from Victorian dumps each year under a $15.6 million investment program.
New report a code red on health effects of fossil fuels
Doctors say Australians must grasp the vast range of health threats fossil fuels pose and pressure politicians to dump them as quickly as possible.
Residents weigh next steps after losing mine dust fight
Residents have lost a court battle over fine dust and other pollutants emitted by an open-cut coal mine in NSW but the fight may not yet be over.
Toxic waterway alert as factory inferno probe continues
Contaminated waterways near a toxic factory fire in Melbourne's west are causing concern, with the cause of the blaze still under investigation.
Leaders unite to extinguish disposed battery fires
Environment ministers across Australia have resolved to prioritise work to stop lithium-ion batteries ending up in landfills and sparking dangerous fires.
Shoppers face lies, manipulation in supermarket aisles
So-called 'ocean plastic' is the poster child of greenwashing shams Australian face when they head to the grocery store, a federal inquiry has been told.
Coal mine’s licence not fit for purpose, court told
Residents who fear what a NSW coal mine might be doing to their health have gone to court, arguing its environmental licence is not fit for purpose.
environmental cleanup
environmental issue
hazardous materials
waste management and pollution control
Asbestos detected at three more Melbourne parks
Three more parks in Melbourne's southwest have been shut after asbestos material was found, bringing the total of asbestos-contaminated parks to five.
environmental cleanup
environmental issue
hazardous materials
waste management and pollution control
Asbestos problem grows after three more park detections
The number of sites affected by asbestos continues to grow, with three Melbourne reserves closed following the discovery of the toxic fibres.
‘Be wary about free mulch’ amid asbestos fears: agency
While testing for asbestos in mulch has found few traces of contamination, the Victorian environment regulator is urging people to remain vigilant.
Dumped or contaminated: parks probe after asbestos find
Environment regulators are investigating whether asbestos found in mulch at a Melbourne playground was illegally dumped or was part of the garden product.
Ocean floor littered with plastic pollution: CSIRO
The ocean floor is littered with up to 100 times more plastic than what is on the surface, a landmark new estimate by the CSIRO suggests.
Asbestos fragments found in Queensland mulch stockpile
Authorities are trying to locate 24 people who were recorded accessing asbestos contaminated mulch at a central Queensland council depot.
Asbestos detected at two Queensland sites
A transfer station has been closed and another site under investigation after asbestos was detected in central Queensland.
Aussie farms polluted with plastic from sewage sludge
Microplastic pollution typically from synthetic clothes is contaminating sewage sludge used as fertiliser on farms across the nation.
‘Heartbreaking’ scenes as fire-hit communities rebuild
Residents in Victorian towns face a recovery that could last up to three years as locals return to survey the damage caused by bushfires to their properties.
Taylor Swift fans assured mulch issue won’t stop shows
Asbestos-tainted mulch has been found at further sites as the NSW Environment Minister blames regulatory failure for the growing scandal.
Bushfire evacuees return to homes and businesses
Evacuees are starting to return to a town in Victoria's west where more than two dozen homes were lost to bushfires believed to have been sparked by lightning.
breaking_news
environmental cleanup
environmental issue
environmental politics
environmental pollution
government
hazardous materials
health
politics
Asbestos-tainted mulch potentially at hundreds of sites
Hundreds of sites are due to be tested for contaminated mulch including some outside Sydney as an expert group is formed to speed up the investigation.
environmental cleanup
environmental issue
environmental politics
environmental pollution
festive event (including carnival)
gays and lesbians
hazardous materials
waste management and pollution control
Asbestos kills off Mardi Gras fair, shutters school
Asbestos-tainted mulch is to blame for the closure of a primary school in Sydney's southwest and the cancellation of a major Mardi Gras festival event.
NSW lagging other states on contaminated soil oversight
Calls to better empower NSW's environment regulator are growing after concerns were raised about its ability to monitor contaminated soil.
Aussie supermarkets failing in war on plastic: audit
Australian supermarkets have been given an F for fail on plastic waste reduction, with an audit detailing some disturbing practices.
Calls mount for national solution to toxic vape waste
Australia urgently needs a national strategy to deal with hazardous and toxic waste from vaping products, environmental campaigners say.
Industries push govt to expand ban on forever chemicals
Two major Australian industries say the government must expand a planned ban on toxic, so-called forever chemicals amid rising concern about health risks.
UN observer slams Australia over toxic threats, climate
Australia has been scolded over contaminated sites, new oil and gas projects and a "reactive" environmental protection framework by a UN investigator.
Exclusion zone declared after WA chemical incident
Emergency services have declared an exclusion zone in Western Australia after a HAZMAT incident involving a truck carrying ammonium nitrate.
Sick, skinny snakes loaded with forever chemicals
Wild tiger snakes in Perth appear to be suffering the effects of exposure to long-lived, toxic PFAS chemicals.