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Below the SurfaceAuthor: Gunnar Haid & James Hammond
Casual chats between an Austrian and Australian on environmental topics that usually don't get talked about openly. Hosts Gunnar Haid and James Hammond set out to provide a light-hearted and thought-provoking look into Contaminated Land, Resource Recovery, Ecology and general environmental issues in Australia, in particular NSW. They use their experience and industry connections to talk about subjects that, at least in their opinion, don't get talked about enough or not in the right context. Join them for a chuckle and some unique perspectives. And don't forget to keep track of your listening experience. It is official, listening to Below the Surface collects CPD points at a rate of 0.5 points per hour of listening (self education category).Contact: bts@4pillars.com.auhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/below-the-surface-podcastThe necessary disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this Podcast are the speakers own. They do not necessarily represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of 4Pillars Environmental Consulting Pty Ltd or any Client, Supplier or other party related to 4Pillars or the speakers. (c) Gunnar Haid and James Hammond Language: en-au Genres: Earth Sciences, Natural Sciences, Science Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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#40 The Risk Assessment
Episode 40
Thursday, 12 March, 2026
If you've ever stared at a lab result that exceeds your NEPM HIL and wondered "okay, but what does this actually mean?". This one's for you.Gunnar and James sit down with Dr Kylie Dodd, environmental toxicologist and risk assessor at GHD, to get into the science behind the numbers that so many of us lean on without fully understanding where they come from. Kylie has a great way of making this stuff click, and the conversation goes places that are genuinely useful for day-to-day practice.They get into why Tier 1 screening levels are built to be conservative by design, why an exceedance doesn't automatically mean you need to remediate, and what it looks like to think a bit deeper, what they're calling "Tier 1.5 Risk Assessment — without needing to be a fully-fledged risk assessor yourself.A big chunk of the conversation is about the practical stuff: how to get more out of your conceptual site model (CSM), how to think about exposure pathways and bioaccessibility, and how realistic site use should dictate the way you interpret results. Some of those small shifts in thinking can make a real difference to the recommendations you're putting forward.They also get into how risk assessments hold up under regulator scrutiny, when an environmental management plan is actually the right tool, and what data decisions early in a project can save a risk assessor a lot of headaches later.Fair warning: this episode won't make you a risk assessor. But it might change how you think about what those numbers are really telling you — and what you do next.Links:ASC NEPM ToolboxEpisode 38 The BioavailabilityRecorded on 12 Feb 2026Listen to Below the Surface and collect CPD points. We have confirmation that you can claim 0.5 points for every hour you spend with us under the Self Education CategoryContact: bts@4pillars.com.au https://www.linkedin.com/company/below-the-surface-podcast The necessary disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this Podcast are the speakers’ own. They do not necessarily represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of 4Pillars Environmental Consulting Pty Ltd or any Client, Supplier or other party related to 4Pillars or the speakers. (c) Gunnar Haid and James Hammond
