Tue Feb 23, 2010
Minister for Resources and Energy, Martin Ferguson today announced the National Radioactive Waste Management Bill 2010 to be introduced to Parliament this week. Australia’s radioactive waste is currently stored at more than 100 sites at Australian universities, hospitals, offices and laboratories, mostly in capital cities.
Wed Nov 25, 2009
A US study published in the journal PLoS One indicates that oversupply of food has increased food waste by about 50 per cent since 1974, contributing to excessive consumption of freshwater and fossil fuels. The study also suggests that the American obesity epidemic is linked to an increase in the availability and marketing of cheap [...]
Mon Aug 24, 2009
Expert comment on the oil leak off the Kimberley coast in the Timor Sea.
Thu May 21, 2009
As the latest stimulus package hits our wallets, the rush is on to update PCs and to buy the latest flat screen LCD and plasma TVs. But where do all the old ones end up? Australia is generating a mountain of unwanted electrical waste each year. At last count around 1.5 million TVs were dumped [...]
Thu Jun 26, 2008
Australia has approximately 4,020 cubic metres of low level and short-lived intermediate level radioactive waste – but remains undecided on where to put it. The previous government proposed the construction of the Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management Facility (a purpose built facility to manage Australia’s radioactive waste) and four sites in the Northern Territory are currently [...]
Wed Jun 11, 2008
It’s hard to overcome the ‘yuk’ factor when talking about using human waste as a large scale agricultural fertiliser. But sewage farms are now restricted from expelling waste into the ocean, and scientists have been investigating the potential of making these ‘biosolids’ acceptable to use on crops.
Tue Jun 26, 2007
The average Australian produces 776 kilograms of waste each year, of which about 20 kilograms is hazardous (paint, solvents, batteries, garden chemicals, engine oil etc). An inability to deal effectively with our hazardous waste means that much of it ends up in landfill contributing to the 160,000 contaminated sites around the country.