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Latest news: Hazardous Materials

Asbestos scare puts Australian schools on high alert

Asbestos scare puts Australian schools on high alert

Safety warnings have prompted the temporary closure of dozens of schools over fears coloured craft sand could be contaminated with asbestos.

Mushrooms to mice: our fears of nature are costing us

Mushrooms to mice: our fears of nature are costing us

Mushrooms to mice: our fears of nature are costing us

Mushrooms to mice: our fears of nature are costing us

One in five Australians suffer biophobias of natural foods and creatures, with real impacts on health, waste and the environment, a recent study shows.

Film follows fight to heal Country from poison legacy

Film follows fight to heal Country from poison legacy

Film follows fight to heal Country from poison legacy

Film follows fight to heal Country from poison legacy

The film Yurlu/Country explores the impact of asbestos mining on a community that has spent decades fighting to heal their homelands.

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Residents to pursue class action over 'toxic tap water'

Residents to pursue class action over 'toxic tap water'

Cancer-causing "forever chemicals" have likely been present in a tourist hotspot's drinking water for decades, a major investigation has found.

Recycling firm, boss cop largest fine over toxic blaze

Recycling firm, boss cop largest fine over toxic blaze

An environment watchdog has secured its largest fine after a waste recycling company and its director were penalised for a toxic blaze that forced evacuations.

'Ridiculous' probe into science fan's plutonium import

'Ridiculous' probe into science fan's plutonium import

Border Force has been slammed for its role in the prosecution of a collector who shipped a 'harmless' amount of radioactive material to his parents' unit.

'Naive' science fan faces jail for plutonium import

'Naive' science fan faces jail for plutonium import

A fast-food worker and collector is set to learn his fate after shipping nuclear material to his parent's suburban unit, sparking a major hazmat incident.

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Toxic PFAS at 'trace' levels in city's water supply

Toxic PFAS at 'trace' levels in city's water supply

Toxic PFAS at 'trace' levels in city's water supply

Toxic PFAS at 'trace' levels in city's water supply

Dangerous "forever chemicals" have been detected in Sydney's water supply but are at levels that pose no health risk, a government agency said.

Thousands of PFAS chemicals unmonitored, research finds

Thousands of PFAS chemicals unmonitored, research finds

Thousands of PFAS chemicals unmonitored, research finds

Thousands of PFAS chemicals unmonitored, research finds

There is an urgent need to identify levels of "forever chemicals", according to scientists who found concentrations of one could double in the environment.

Authorities cop fire over response to ant 'super pest'

Authorities cop fire over response to ant 'super pest'

Authorities cop fire over response to ant 'super pest'

Authorities cop fire over response to ant 'super pest'

Critics have blasted the federal government for "failing to grasp the urgency" of tackling potentially devastating invasive fire ant incursions.

Drinking water chemical limits hard to swallow for some

Drinking water chemical limits hard to swallow for some

Drinking water chemical limits hard to swallow for some

Drinking water chemical limits hard to swallow for some

Guidelines for potential cancer-causing chemicals allowed in Australian drinking water have been released, with at least one region failing to meet them.

Trial for tech that strips forever chemicals from water

Trial for tech that strips forever chemicals from water

Trial for tech that strips forever chemicals from water

Trial for tech that strips forever chemicals from water

There's rising global concern about a vast family of toxic man-made chemicals but Queensland scientists have developed a promising new solution.

Landowners lock the gate on mandatory fire ant baiting

Landowners lock the gate on mandatory fire ant baiting

Landowners lock the gate on mandatory fire ant baiting

Landowners lock the gate on mandatory fire ant baiting

A national program designed to stop the march of a deadly and destructive super pest is facing rising community resistance to mandatory baiting.

More cash to recycle soft plastic after REDcycle fiasco

More cash to recycle soft plastic after REDcycle fiasco

More cash to recycle soft plastic after REDcycle fiasco

More cash to recycle soft plastic after REDcycle fiasco

More than 43,000 tonnes of hard to recycle plastics will be diverted from Victorian dumps each year under a $15.6 million investment program.

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Chemicals in plastics 'threaten human life cycle'

The most comprehensive review published on the negative health impacts of plastics shows increased health risks across the human life cycle.

Dangerous factory fires remain a burning issue

A spate of dangerous industrial fires has residents raising the alarm that environmental authorities and government aren't doing enough to prevent them.

New report a code red on health effects of fossil fuels

Doctors say Australians must grasp the vast range of health threats fossil fuels pose and pressure politicians to dump them as quickly as possible.

Residents weigh next steps after losing mine dust fight

Residents have lost a court battle over fine dust and other pollutants emitted by an open-cut coal mine in NSW but the fight may not yet be over.

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Factory fire probes won't be quick, authorities warn

Investigations into what sparked one of Melbourne's biggest factory fires will not be quick, fire and environment authorities have warned.

Toxic waterway alert as factory inferno probe continues

Contaminated waterways near a toxic factory fire in Melbourne's west are causing concern, with the cause of the blaze still under investigation.

Leaders unite to extinguish disposed battery fires

Environment ministers across Australia have resolved to prioritise work to stop lithium-ion batteries ending up in landfills and sparking dangerous fires.

Shoppers face lies, manipulation in supermarket aisles

So-called 'ocean plastic' is the poster child of greenwashing shams Australian face when they head to the grocery store, a federal inquiry has been told.

Coal mine's licence not fit for purpose, court told

Residents who fear what a NSW coal mine might be doing to their health have gone to court, arguing its environmental licence is not fit for purpose.

Plea for task force to dig into growing asbestos crisis

Pressure is mounting on the Victorian government to follow the lead of NSW by setting up a task force to get to the bottom of Melbourne's asbestos crisis.

Asbestos problem grows after three more park detections

The number of sites affected by asbestos continues to grow, with three Melbourne reserves closed following the discovery of the toxic fibres.

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