EPA Victoria Insights: Health Risk, Legacy Mine Wastes and Dispersive Soils
Join ACLCA Victoria for our August Member Presentation Evening featuring three expert speakers from EPA Victoria. This session will explore emerging environmental and public health issues, including the psychosocial impacts of industrial odour, legacy mine wastes in Victoria and dealing with variability and also lessons from the assessment and management of dispersive soils. Attendees will gain practical insights into current EPA thinking, recent research and regulatory expectations relevant to contaminated land practitioners, environmental consultants and risk assessors.
(Note this is a hybrid session: scroll to bottom of page to book for online session)
Topic 1: Beyond Nuisance: Developing an Understanding of the Psychosocial Wellbeing Impacts of Industrial Odour
Industrial odour can affect more than amenity, with evidence showing impacts on psychosocial wellbeing even at concentrations below health-based guideline values. Drawing on EPA experience and findings from the systematic review Industrial Odour and Psychosocial Wellbeing: A systematic Review, this presentation explores how odour can influence quality of life, stress, anxiety, daily activities and commonly reported physical symptoms such as headaches, sleep disruption and nausea. The talk will examine why responses to odour vary between individuals and communities and how EPA manages impacts using preventive approaches like separation distances and odour management requirements to protect community wellbeing.
Presenter: Antti Mikkonen
Bio: Antti Mikkonen is a Principal Health Risk Advisor at EPA Victoria with over 15 years’ experience in environmental consulting, research, and regulation. Antti is an Adjunct Associate Professor at RMIT university and has a PhD in pharmacology/ risk assessment from UniSA. His role at EPA is centred around the assessment and management of public health risks from chemicals.
Topic 2: Legacy mine wastes in Victoria – dealing with variability
Calcined sands are a legacy mine waste that contains very high levels of arsenic and other elements. We typically associate calcined sands with Central Victoria, characterised by a pink-purple colour.
Recently EPA Victoria, in partnership with Adelaide University, have been characterising calcined sands present in Gippsland and North East Victoria. Appearance and characteristics of mine wastes are highly variable, both across a site and between a site. Bioaccessibility is also highly variable, being driven by mineralogical differences that vary regionally, but also locally, as processing methods changed over time.
When assessing legacy mine waste sites, contaminant bioaccessibility is an important parameter. Here we provide an overview of some of the common pitfalls as well as tips, tricks for assessing bioaccessibility.
Presenter: Pacian Netherway
Bio: Pacian is a Senior Health Risk Advisor at EPA Victoria and a Senior Adjunct Industry Fellow at RMIT University who has more than 10 years experience in contaminated land. He has authored and co-authored 12 publications on legacy mine waste, covering exposure assessment, health impacts and remediation.
Topic 3: Assessment and management of dispersive soils in Victoria
Dispersive (sodic) soils are a common but often overlooked risk in Victoria, contributing to erosion, waterway turbidity and infrastructure instability. Hear from Dr Hannah Mikkonen on identifying dispersive soil hazards, regulatory expectations, and lessons from Victorian case studies to support effective assessment and management during planning and development.
Presenter: Dr Hannah Mikkonen
Bio: Dr Hannah Mikkonen is a Principal Contaminated Land Scientist at EPA Victoria and Certified Professional Soil Scientist, with 17+ years of experience tackling contaminated land and groundwater challenges across the state. Hannah is a passionate advocate for the practical application of best practice in contaminated land management.
- This is a hybrid event: Online viewing is also available for those that cannot make it in person. Register here to book for online event On Line Event
- Up to 1 CPD point (CEnvP) may be earned by attending this event. Please head to our ACLCA Victoria CPD Training page under Resources to learn more about CPD training in Victoria.