Contamination Station: Safer Environment Together is an EPA initiative to gather learnings from the management of contaminated land at the local level. Whether you’re working in the field of contaminated land, or simply interested in protecting the environment, you’ll find this podcast to be a wealth of information and resources to help us all come together to create a safer environment together.
Hosted by Shonelle Gleeson-Willey, environment and sustainability expert, educator, speaker and CEO of Moss Environmental. You’ll hear from experts across a kaleidoscope of backgrounds, experience and knowledge in the field of contaminated land.
So put your headphones in, grab a cup of coffee, and tune in for some insightful stories.
Michael Seller is the Membership Development Manager at the Australasian Land & Groundwater Association (ALGA), the leading industry body representing professionals working in contaminated land and groundwater management across Australia and New Zealand.
In his role, Michael leads initiatives to grow and support ALGA’s member community, connecting practitioners, regulators, consultants, scientists and industry partners to strengthen collaboration and promote best practice across the sector.
Through his work at ALGA, Michael plays a key role in supporting those working in contaminated land management by helping build strong professional networks, improving access to training and industry guidance, and fostering collaboration across government, consulting and industry. His work helps ensure practitioners stay informed, connected and supported in a rapidly evolving regulatory and technical landscape.
In this episode, Shonelle and Michael discuss the challenges facing contaminated land practitioners in local government and the importance of building stronger professional networks across the sector. Michael reflects on what he hears from councils across Australia, noting that many officers managing contaminated land are also responsible for a wide range of other functions, from planning to environmental health, and are often stepping into contamination work without dedicated resources or specialist teams.
The conversation explores how professional networks can help address this reality. Michael discusses how practitioners can connect across government, consulting, and industry, and highlights the value of special interest groups, events, and peer forums that allow officers to share experiences, troubleshoot challenges, and support one another in what can sometimes feel like an isolated role within councils.
Michael also touches on the importance of training, capability building, and leadership support for council members. From professional development pathways like CEnvP certification to knowledge-sharing events and online resources, he explains how strengthening capability across the sector ultimately helps councils manage contaminated land risks more effectively and engage confidently with stakeholders and communities.
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Are you a local NSW council member looking for more resources like this?
You are invited to join the Local Government NSW Contaminated Land Network!
Local Government NSW (LGNSW) hosts a free, online network for council staff on the topic of contaminated land. The network includes an online forum for collaboration, information sharing and announcements about contaminated land regulation, guidance and training opportunities. Monthly meetings are held on themes that were set by the network participants, with presentations from regulators, technical experts, and case studies by councils.
Since the contaminated land network commenced in December 2023, more than 50% of NSW councils have joined, with over 200 participants. Feedback shows that councils are benefitting greatly from the network meetings and discussion on the platform, and we are pleased to invite you to join us.
To join the network, please use this link: https://lgsa.wufoo.com/forms/w1rf0os910rxyl6/
We hope to see you in the network soon!
