Below the Surface

Gunnar Haid & James Hammond
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Below the Surface

Casual chats between an Austrian and Australian on environmental topics that usually don't get talked about openly. Hosts Gunnar Haid and James Hammond set out to provide a light-hearted and thought-provoking look into Contaminated Land, Resource Recovery, Ecology and general environmental issues in Australia, in particular NSW. They use their experience and industry connections to talk about subjects that, at least in their opinion, don't get talked about enough or not in the right context. Join them for a chuckle and some unique perspectives. And don't forget to keep track of your listening experience. It is official, listening to Below the Surface collects CPD points at a rate of 0.5 points per hour of listening (self education category).Contact: bts@4pillars.com.auhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/below-the-surface-podcastThe necessary disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this Podcast are the speakers’ own. They do not necessarily represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of 4Pillars Environmental Consulting Pty Ltd or any Client, Supplier or other party related to 4Pillars or the speakers. (c) Gunnar Haid and James Hammond

  1. #20 The Loophole

    NOV 8

    #20 The Loophole

    Grey Areas and Loopholes – Where to Draw the Line? This episode dives into the murky waters of our industry's "grey areas", or, if we are re being honest, loopholes. From VENM (Virgin Excavated Natural Material) issues to Council demands for auditors in a gotcha move, to James's creative methods for getting trial waste recycling facilities approved, and even the use of silica gel to clean up tank pit samples - these are some of the fine lines or thin ice areas we navigate in the environmental...

    49 min
  2. #19 The Inventor

    OCT 25

    #19 The Inventor

    In a fictitious world where electricity reigns supreme, Gunnar has "invented" a revolutionary engine that uses ... wait for it ... petrol! That’s right, in this universe, electric engines are the norm, and Gunnar is pitching this wild idea of a new type of engine to a venture capitalist, skilfully played by James. We’re taking a detour from our usual lineup of site contamination, waste streams, asbestos scares, and blood lead levels. Instead, Gunnar and James are stepping into the world ...

    31 min
  3. #18 The Remedial Action Assessment

    OCT 11

    #18 The Remedial Action Assessment

    A re-think of the classic Preliminary Site Assessment => Detailed Site Assessment => Remedial Action Plan scenario. Guest Andrew Kohlrusch, EPA Auditor and contaminated sites expert extraordinaire, joins Gunnar on an excursion to explore a more bespoke way to assess contaminated sites from the initial stages to the final remediation report. Of course the two veer off into their private lives first and discuss a Billy Joel Maddison Square Garden concert, whether dinner with David Bo...

    38 min
  4. #17 The Blueprint

    SEP 27

    #17 The Blueprint

    Australia's landscapes are in serious need of an injection of TLC (Tender Loving Care, not some dyslexic chlorinated hydrocarbon). TLC and a bit of money. $7.3 Billion per year over 10 years to be more precise, according to a recent report published by The Wentworth Group.Our Guest is The Wentworth Group's Prof Mike Grundy, a former Research Director, Soil and Landscapes with CSIRO, and an Adjunct Professor with the University of Sydney. We discuss what is currently going wrong with Australia...

    41 min
  5. #16 The Sparrow in the Lead Mine

    SEP 13

    #16 The Sparrow in the Lead Mine

    Measure lead levels in blood of house sparrows and accurately predict lead blood levels in children in that town. No way? Absolutely YES WAY! That is exactly what Prof Simon Griffith with his PhD candidate Max Gillings have achieved in one of their recent papers. From the outside it is all so easy. Go to an area with known high lead impact (towns like Broken Hill or Mt Isa come to mind), catch a few hundred sparrows, take a blood sample from each sparrow (non-destructively by the way), analys...

    47 min
  6. #15 The STEMinist

    AUG 30

    #15 The STEMinist

    How can young (female) professionals tackle the flood of knowledge they must acquire in a fast-paced consulting environment while at the same time having to deal with sometimes perceived but too often real disapproval by established good old boys in meetings or on construction sites? How can you tackle the ever niggling self-doubt? How can you become more like the you you want yourself to be?Hailey Spry from Easterly Point Environmental, a DESI (that’s Queensland’s EPA) Accredited Contaminate...

    47 min
  7. #14 The Honest Truth

    AUG 16

    #14 The Honest Truth

    The EPA names and shames a consultancy for allegedly falsifying reports. Meanwhile clients are beginning to use legal privilege as a strategy to avoid potential subpoenas — just as we anticipated in The Power Grab.On a positive note, thanks to The Policy Predicament (yay!), the EPA has made a change to their website, now featuring all policy and regulatory updates in one easily accessible location. Kudos to the EPA!Gunnar and James take the opportunity to talk about ethics, morals and integri...

    48 min
  8. #13 The Train Wreck

    AUG 2

    #13 The Train Wreck

    We are thrilled to host Andrew Doig from the Australian Sustainable Business Group, who brings a wealth of knowledge on waste services and legislative review. Andrew guides us through the labyrinth of waste management and landfill approval, focusing on the pressing issues in New South Wales. From the Lucas Heights extension to the Woodlawn mine approval, we dissect the challenges of expanding waste facilities amid the pervasive NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) mentality. Learn the crucial differen...

    33 min
See All (20)

About

Casual chats between an Austrian and Australian on environmental topics that usually don't get talked about openly. Hosts Gunnar Haid and James Hammond set out to provide a light-hearted and thought-provoking look into Contaminated Land, Resource Recovery, Ecology and general environmental issues in Australia, in particular NSW. They use their experience and industry connections to talk about subjects that, at least in their opinion, don't get talked about enough or not in the right context. Join them for a chuckle and some unique perspectives. And don't forget to keep track of your listening experience. It is official, listening to Below the Surface collects CPD points at a rate of 0.5 points per hour of listening (self education category).Contact: bts@4pillars.com.auhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/below-the-surface-podcastThe necessary disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this Podcast are the speakers’ own. They do not necessarily represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of 4Pillars Environmental Consulting Pty Ltd or any Client, Supplier or other party related to 4Pillars or the speakers. (c) Gunnar Haid and James Hammond

Information

  • Creator
    Gunnar Haid & James Hammond
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    20
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2024 Gunnar Haid and James Hammond
  • Show Website
    Below the Surface

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