Douglas Partners’ Paul Moritz and John Russell recently presented at Ecoforum 2020.
Paul is a Principal Scientist (Melbourne) with nearly 40 years’ experience as an industrial and environmental chemist. Paul’s presentation discussed the likelihood that contaminants commonly suspected of being present in surface fill are actually present when samples are analysed. The paper demonstrated that there are some contaminants which are rarely found, if at all. These findings have implications for the way contaminated land consultants work, and the advice they offer clients
John is a Senior Associate Scientist (Sydney) with 17 years’ experience in the area of contaminated land investigation and remediation. John’s presentation focused on a case study involving a chlorinated solvent plume, associated vapour intrusion risks and then the challenges posed by adjacent construction dewatering affecting local groundwater gradients. These scenarios are likely to occur more often in a rapidly changing city such as Sydney, with an increasing number of drained basement structures and tunnelled rail and road infrastructure.
They both noted the success of the ‘virtual’ conference format that adapted rapidly amid the COVID pandemic.
