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Residents living in close proximity to contaminated sites may experience adverse effects from financial losses and property devaluation, leading to poor mental health and physical illnesses—effects that may require compensation. The most common legal process of seeking compensation is the toxic tort—litigation pressed on the basis that contamination has harmed the victims. Several recent toxic tort class actions in Australia brought by residents living in areas affected by contamination from per‐ and poly‐fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exemplify that process. Two such actions, those at Williamtown and Richmond, provide an opportunity to explore how toxic torts currently function as a means to secure compensation, whether they mitigate the harms of the contamination and considering how spatio‐legal manoeuvres may shape the litigation. In this article, we use a legal geography approach to analyse how plaintiffs' bodies, litigants' properties, and the state are constructed and represented by parties involved in these toxic torts. Legal geographers contend that examining the spatio‐legal manoeuvres made via litigation can make visible the effects of legal action on those involved and draw out how the law and its instruments may shape places and communities. Toxic tort class actions have allowed those affected by the contamination to be heard and receive some compensation. However, we argue that they do little to alleviate plaintiffs' concerns about the effects of contamination on their health, properties, and the environment. The findings have significance given that torts will likely play an increasingly prominent role in dealing with such challenges. This article examines a recent series of toxic tort class actions brought by residents living in areas affected by contamination from per‐ and poly‐fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in New South Wales, Australia. It explores in particular how the torts function as a form of compensation for those affected by the contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Per‐ and poly‐fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in water are typically present in their ionic (nonvolatile) forms; however, these can transition to their nonionic (volatile) forms when in contact with organic solvents and organic matrices. In particular, when PFAS are dissolved in organic solvents such as residues left from firefighting foams, fuels, and bitumen present in asphalt, the equilibrium between ionic and nonionic forms can trend toward more volatile nonionic forms of PFAS. We assessed the volatility of common PFAS based on calculated and available experimental data across ambient temperature ranges experienced by airfield pavements and at elevated temperatures associated with reworking asphalts for reuse. Volatilities are shown to be comparable to hydrocarbons in the semivolatile range, suggesting that volatilization is a viable loss mechanism for some PFAS that are nonvolatile in water. The present study points to future investigative needs for this unexplored mass loss mechanism and potential exposure pathway. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:2202–2208. © 2022 Commonwealth of Australia. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Australia, the regulatory framework for assessing the risk of soil contamination assumes there is minimal risk from the natural enrichment of potentially toxic elements in soil. When this assumption is applied to land cleared for anthropogenic purposes, non-adapted biota including humans, domestic animals and garden plants can be exposed to these soils. While the impacts of natural arsenic (As) and fluorine (F) in waterways are widely reported, little is known about the biological impacts of natural As and F in non-aquatic soils. We investigated four field sites with naturally elevated soil As and F around Melbourne, Australia. All sites were assessed for As and F in soil, tree and herb (grasses and forbs) foliage. Soil concentrations of As and F ranged from near to above mean ambient background concentrations for Victoria. Soil As and F under trees were consistently higher than under herbs, suggesting deeper tree roots resulted in translocation and accumulation of As and F from deeper soil layers. While surface soil enrichment by plants is known for nutrients, there is less information about enrichment of potentially toxic elements. No clear relationships between soil and foliar As/F concentrations were found. However, there was a range of As and F accumulations in foliage across the four sites: from low to concentrations representative of contaminated sites and above regulatory guidelines. We demonstrated that soils naturally enriched in As and F can be bioavailable and accumulated in plant foliage. Thus, we suggest reassessment of the assumption in Australian guidance that naturally elevated concentrations of potentially toxic elements are not bioavailable and pose minimal risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Cattle tick control in Australia using arsenicals from early 1900s to 1955 has led to the existence of some 1600 contaminated sites in northern New South Wales alone. Sorption processes play key roles in controlling arsenic (As) accessibility and subsequent mobility in these dip soils. As(V) sorption and accessibility in three As-contaminated soils and two uncontaminated soil types (ferralitic and sandy soils) are investigated utilizing batch sorption experiments and isotopic exchange techniques. The aged contaminated soils displayed little or no ability to sorb additional As(V), and increasing the soil pH caused a substantial reduction in As(V)-sorption and resulting in As(V)-release. Isotope exchange experiments further supported that any further exposure of the aged-contaminated-soils to additional As(V) increased As-mobilization potential. Amendments of phosphate greatly decreased As(V) sorption in aged-contaminated-soils where As-sorption sites were more highly saturated, whereas phosphate had little effect on As(V) sorption in pristine soils. Similarly, sulfate reduced As(V) sorption, but these effects were less marked than those for phosphate, hence, the application of both PO 4 3− and SO 4 2− in As(V)-contaminated-soils may lead to potential As(V)- mobilization. Conversely, Ca2+ increases As(V)-sorption, which is consistent with expected changes in the surface charge characteristics from Ca2+ sorption, and/or Ca-AsO 4 precipitations, consequently Ca2+ amendments may improve As-retention, thereby decreasing As accessibility from cattle dip soils. Therefore, the detailed knowledge presented here provides new insights that may be useful for the assessment and management of the As-contaminated soils. Image 1 • An increase in pH in aged contaminated soils release potential As. • A potential As mobilization for application of PO 4 3− & SO 4 2− in contaminated soils. • Amendment of soils with Ca2+ increase As retention capacity. • Addition of As to aged contaminated soils lead to an increased As mobilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the links between contaminated sites and adverse effects on human health and well‐being are being increasingly recognised, some argue that the magnitude of the health problem is inadequately addressed because it is largely invisible. Health geographies literature has sought to highlight this invisibility by focusing on the link between contaminated sites and health. This study adds to health geographies by presenting unique insights into the geography of residents' worry about the disruptive effect of environmental contamination on health and well‐being. It analyses a sample of residents (n = 485) living near 13 contaminated sites across Australia. Ordinal logistic regression analysis of closed‐format survey questions was combined with coding of open‐ended survey questions to reveal the geography of residents' worry about contamination from nearby sites. First, the study explores some of the main relationships between residents, their environs, and contaminants from nearby source sites, which determines their levels of worry: residents' demographics, residents' proximity to sites, contaminant boundaries and borders, and type of contaminant. Second, the study investigates how worry affects residents' health and well‐being, ranging from effects on their personal functioning through to their sense of ontological security, which depends in part upon their perceptions of contaminants' impacts. Despite having identified a range of diverse and negative effects of worry about contamination on residents, we found that worry for contamination can also prompt coping strategies and problem‐solving, reinforcing the need for more research on this subject. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper identifies three high profile Australian companies that are known to be in control of land that is subject to significant site contamination. Following a description of various Australian financial reporting requirements pertaining to site-remediation obligations, the paper assesses whether the companies appear to comply with the respective reporting requirements. The results indicate that minimal or no disclosures are made by the companies in relation to various contaminated sites, even where this represents an apparent non-compliance with statutory reporting requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A transition to more sustainable cities in Australia will require much greater focus on greyfield redevelopment than previously. With the multiple challenges facing city planning at the beginning of the twenty-first century - accommodating rapid population growth linked to immigration, attempting more intensive urban development, the need for climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies, and understanding what is required for cities to become more resilient in the face of local and global shocks to their economies and communities - a path of least resistance has seen most recent planning and urban development activity centre on greenfield and brownfield arenas. This paper focuses on the prospects for more sustainable patterns of greyfield redevelopment in Australian cities, with particular reference to Melbourne. Both the Melbourne 2030 and the Melbourne @ 5 million strategies have failed to articulate processes capable of increasing the capacity of existing, ageing, occupied suburban areas - the greyfields - to accommodate projected growth. Grey field redevelopment at precinct (or neighbourhood) scale offers the potential for jointly transitioning urban housing, energy and water systems -and their residential communities-- to a more sustainable future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characterizing the distribution of biota in response to contaminants is a critical element of site risk assessments. In this study we investigated the spatial distributions of biota and soil chemistry data in surface soil from Sunny Corner, a legacy base metal sulfide mine, Australia. Our results showed that copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As) and lead (Pb) in the surface soil exceeded Australian national soil quality guidelines and posed risks to the environment. Environmental (e)DNA metabarcoding of prokaryote and eukaryote composition confirmed the suggestion of environmental risk posed by these elements collectively explaining 72.9 % and 60.5 % of the total variation in the composition of soil prokaryotes and eukaryotes, respectively. Prokaryotic taxa from the phyla Gemmatimonadetes, Verrucomicrobia and Deinococcus-Thermus showed similar spatial patterns to As and Pb, and were positively correlated. Eukaryotic taxa from the phylum Chlorophyta had similar positive correlations with As and Pb in the soil. In contrast, Amoebozoa and Cercozoa, were sensitive to metals and metalloids, having higher relative abundances in soils with lower concentrations of contaminants. Our study shows that metabarcoding is a promising ecological approach for rapid, large scale assessment of contaminated and potentially impacted sites. [Display omitted] • Spatial patterns of soil biota reflect contamination at a legacy base metal mine. • Gemmatimonadetes and Deinococcus-Thermus abundance correlated with soil As and Pb. • Amoebozoa and Cercozoa were negatively correlated with metals and metalloids. • eDNA metabarcoding is effective for large scale assessment of contaminated sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are more than 10000 arsenic (As) contaminated sites in Australia. The ability of soils at these contaminated sites to sorb As is highly variable and appreciable amounts of As have been recorded in the subsurface soils. The potential risk of surface and ground water contamination by As at these sites is a major environmental concern. Factors that influence adsorption capacity of soils influence the bioavailability and subsequent mobility of As in soils. In the present study we investigated the effect of PO3−4 and Na+ and Ca2+ on the sorption of AsV and AsIII by an Oxisol, a Vertisol, and two Alfisols. The presence of P (0.16 mmol L−1) greatly decreased AsV sorption by soils containing low amounts of Fe oxides (<100 mmol kg−1), indicating competitive adsorption between P and AsV for sorption sites. In contrast, the presence of a similar amount of P had little effect on the amount of AsV adsorbed by soils with high Fe content (>800 mmol kg−1). However, AsV sorption substantially decreased from 0.63 to 0.37 mmol kg−1 as P concentration was increased from 0.16 to 3.2 mmol L−1 in selected soils. This suggests increased competition between P and AsV for soil sorption sites, through either the higher affinity or the effect of mass action of the increasing concentration of P in solution. A similar effect of P on AsIII sorption was observed in the low sorbing Alfisol and high affinity Oxisol. However, the amount of AsIII sorbed by the Oxisol was much greater than the Alfisol for all treatments. The presence of Ca2+ increased the amount of AsV sorbed compared with that of Na+ and was manifested through changes in the surface charge characteristics of the soils. A similar trend in AsIII sorption was recorded with changes in index cation, although the effect was not as marked as recorded for AsV [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-specific health symptoms are commonly reported in communities exposed to environmental hazards. However these symptoms commonly occur in the general community as a result of lifestyle factors, illness such as cold and allergy, medical treatment, in addition to environmental and occupational exposures. This paper describes the prevalence of non-specific health symptoms in South Australia. A cross-sectional survey of 3016 persons aged 15 years and over across the State was undertaken. Stuffy nose was the most commonly reported symptoms, with a 2-week prevalence of 46%. Headaches, unusual tiredness, cough, sore throat and itchy eyes were each experienced by at least one in five persons in the previous 2-week period. Symptom reporting was greater among females compared with males and higher in younger age groups. These rates provide a useful reference for rates normally found in a community exposed to a broad range of personal, environmental and occupational factors that may lead to these symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PerFluoroOctane Sulfonate (PFOS), is a toxic anthropogenic chemical that has been produced and gradually released into the environment for the past seven decades. An accurate audit of global PFOS contamination and contaminated sites are yet to be published. The available technologies to remediate PFOS contaminated soil are limited and often basic strategies such as temporary soil containment are adopted as immediate measures to manage the contaminated sites. In this study, the in situ soil flushing technique is assessed for its capacity to remediate soil contaminated with PFOS. A complete treatment process with several operation units was proposed such as solvent flushing, ground water pumping, solvent recovery and water treatment for PFOS. Potential solvents were identified and it was observed that more than 98% PFOS removal could be attained by flushing with five bed volumes of 50% ethanol. In addition, the study investigated thirteen commercially available filter materials and identified PFA694E, K6362, MP 62, Amberlite IRA 67 and Dowexoptopore V493 as suitable to eliminate PFOS with competitive PFOS adsorption characteristics. The proposed method can be recommended to remediate PFOS in recognised contaminated soils, such as those at defence sites. Furthermore, a contaminated site with favourable characteristics to implement the suggested method was identified in Australia and described in this paper. • Limited number of techniques are available to remediate soil contaminated with PFOS. • In-situ soil flushing technique was investigated to remediate soil contained with PFOS. • A full treatment process with essential unit operations was proposed. • Over 98% PFOS removal was observed after flushing with five bed volumes of 50% ethanol. • Thirteen commercially available filter materials investigated for PFOS adsorption characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the case studies which focused on dioxin and persistent organic pollutants (POP) contaminated sites. These undertaking is authored by Roland Weber of POPs Environmental Consulting in Goeppingen, Germany, Mats Tysklind of the Department of Chemistry of Umeá University in Umeá, Sweden, and Caroline Gaus of the National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology in Australia. It also mentions Otto Hutzinger's close relationship to the subject area of dioxins and other POPs ,and also the admiration he has received because of his many achievements.

The article offers information on Victoria, Australia's dropping of a proposal for a long term prescribed waste containment facility in Nowingi. On January 9, 2007, John Thwaites proclaimed that the State Government would discard the proposal for the creation of this waste containment site. He also said that rising landfill levies and enhancing treatment technologies will continuously drive prescribed waste volumes down. It is also noted that the Victorian Government has created some plans to remove wastes from landfills by 2020.

The effects of nutrient and lime additions on antimony (Sb) and arsenic (As) accumulation by native Australian and naturalised plants growing in two contaminated mine site soils (2,735 mg kg(-1) and 4,517 mg kg(-1) Sb; 826 mg kg(-1) and 1606 As mgkg(-1)) was investigated using a glasshouse pot experiment. The results indicated an increase in soil solution concentrations with nutrient addition in both soils and also with nutrient+lime addition for Sb in one soil. Metalloid concentrations in plant roots were significantly greater than concentrations in above ground plant parts. The metalloid transfer to above ground plant parts from the roots and from the soil was, however, low (ratio of leaf concentration/soil concentration≪1) for all species studied. Eucalyptus michaeliana was the most successful at colonisation with lowest metalloid transfer to above ground plant parts. Addition of nutrients and nutrients+lime to soils, in general, increased plant metalloid accumulation. Relative As accumulation was greater than that of Sb. All the plant species studied were suitable for consideration in the mine soil phytostabilisation strategies but lime additions should be limited and longer term trials also recommended., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)