Blog

4 Ways to Participate in World Environment Day 05/06/2017
Today (June 5th) is World Environment Day, an initiative begun by the United Nations in 1974 to raise worldwide awareness about pressing environmental issues and encourage action. Since it’s inception, WED has played important role raising awareness about a range of environmental issues which are known common knowledge including marine pollution, global warming, and wildlife …
Key Causes and Effects of Soil Pollution 25/05/2017
Soil pollution can have devastating effects on the environment, negatively impacting human, animal and plant health. In this blog, we look at some of the most common contributors to soil contamination, along with its harmful effects. Main causes of soil pollution Industrial activity Industrial activity has huge environmental impacts, one of which being soil contamination. …
2 Historic Asbestos Disasters 23/05/2017
In 2017, most people are well versed in the dangers of asbestos, but few people are aware of some of the larger scale asbestos disasters which have occurred because of ignorance, error, or negligence. This week we look at two asbestos tragedies which still claim victims to this day. The Wittenoom Tragedy Today the town …
8 Facts About Asbestos 17/05/2017
Asbestos testing is one of the most common services Alpha Environmental is called upon to provide and it’s little wonder considering the prevalence of asbestos as a building and manufacturing material during the 19th and 20th centuries. This week, we thought we’d look at a few facts you might not know about this deadly fibre. …
Key Elements of a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment 03/05/2017
Earlier in the year, we provided you with a breakdown of what exactly occurs during Phase I environmental site assessments. Basically, a Phase I ESA involves a comprehensive look into the past and present activities of a site to determine the likelihood of contamination. If contamination is found to be present, then the potential impact …
The Environmental Impacts of the Oil and Gas Industries 28/04/2017
The oil and gas industries heavily impact the environment, causing contamination that is devastating to natural flora and fauna, marine life, and human health. If you have a business or piece of land that may have come into contact with oil, either through mining, production, or a spill, it’s important to undertake an environmental site …
How to Choose an Environmental Consultant 27/04/2017
When selecting an environmental consultant for contaminated site investigations and remediation it is vital that you invest the necessary time and effort to choose the most appropriate consultancy for your needs as the quality and results of the assessment undertaken rely on the competency of the consultant. There can be serious social, economic and legal …
Why is Post Remediation Verification of Mould Important?
If you have had mould remediation conducted at your commercial or domestic premises, you are probably now wondering if it’s safe to move occupants back in or allow business to resume as usual. The Australian Mould Guidelines state that ‘the effectiveness of restoration to contents and remediation work to any large sized job (Building Grade …
3 Historic Environmental Disasters that Affect Australia Today 21/04/2017
When you think of man-made environmental disasters, the names and places which spring to mind are usually far-flung places like Chernobyl, Bhopal and Fukushima. Whilst these large-scale events might be the ones that make their way into the history books, there are many smaller tragedies that have taken place much closer to home. This week, …
The Deadly Impacts of Asbestos 13/04/2017
Although asbestos has been banned in Australia since 2013, its harmful effects on health are still being felt around the country today. In this blog, we look at the history and impacts of mesothelioma – a deadly cancer caused by asbestos exposure – as well as how asbestos exposure occurs, how to avoid it, and …
Your Guide to Hazardous Household Waste 31/03/2017
Most households contain some form of hazardous waste — that is, wastes or products that are potentially harmful to humans or the environment when disposed of – so it’s important to know how to handle, store and dispose of such materials and substances. By knowing how to properly manage hazardous wastes, minimise your impact on …
Signs of Soil Contamination 30/03/2017
On this blog, we often discuss environmental contamination on the chemical or microbial level, but not all forms of contamination are invisible to the human eye, and soil contamination is one of them. This week, we take a look at six visible signs that there may be contamination present in a soil environment. Discoloured …
All About Groundwater Contamination 03/03/2017
Groundwater contamination is a common environmental problem in Australia, and is usually the result of poor environmental management, especially in high-density industrial areas. Groundwater contamination occurs for a variety of reasons including poor storage or disposal of industrial waste, and the mixing of rain and industrial chemicals, and can present serious risks to the environment …
5 Occupations at High Risk of Asbestos Exposure 22/02/2017
While commercial production and use of asbestos have been banned in Australia for over a decade, inadvertent exposure is still a serious problem due to the widespread presence of these highly heat-resistant mineral fibres in building materials found in thousands of established structures across Australia. There are some occupations that put workers at much higher …
Key Elements of Phase I Environmental Site Assessments
Environmental site assessments are necessary procedures for many new businesses. Their prime directive is to ensure the site is environmentally sound and safe for employees to work on and for others to be around. An environmental site assessment involves studying the past and present onsite activities to determine the likelihood of contamination, and – if …