Article Published on 28/03/2024

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1. During your time in the industry, you've done a variety of research projects worldwide - ranging from Lake Michigan to Svalbard. Tell us a bit more about some of your projects and how these opportunities came to be!

One of the things I learned early on was to not say no to opportunities - and to actively seek them out. As a university student, we did a month of fieldwork in southern France and I was fortunate enough to be picked for 6 weeks of fieldwork in the Mississippi delta for my MSc project (my first time on a plane!). I then scraped together my money to travel to Cape Town to present on that work at an IAS sedimentology conference. The seed was planted and since then, I have been fortunate to do research in some amazing places, including Alaska, Hawaii, New Zealand, Oman, Panama, and Svalbard.

In my more recent life as a consultant, I spent a few months at a mine site in Laos located on the Ho Chi Minh trail where, you guessed it, the contaminant of concern was unexploded remnants of war. In my time on site, I never found any bombs (never missed one either!) but I will not forget the day when the superintendent sent me an email thanking me for flagging (during QC) a suspicious-looking geophysical anomaly for inspection; this turned out being a dummy bomb that they had buried (beyond the agreed detection depth) to make sure the equipment was still working as intended (and I doing my job!).

My most recent foreign work trip was early last year to Sudan, to explore for groundwater for one of our clients. This project, deep in the desert close to Egypt, was easily one of the most amazing of my career. Technically, the project was a success (I used passive seismic methods to map the depth of wadi deposits and select drill targets) but culturally it was something else altogether. Sudanese pyramids, the Nile, different food, and lovely, amazing people. I felt fortunate to depart when I did (a couple of weeks before the start of the war) but I have been worried for the people I met and friends I made (all of whom seem to be doing well, luckily).

I will readily admit that I am a little tired of traveling these days and prefer to spend more time with my family. However, if a trip to an interesting new place comes along, I will (probably) not say no. How else am I going to come up with new content for LinkedIn ;)

2. We saw your most recent publication on identifying leaks in non-pressurised concrete pipelines using geophysical methods - what are some highlights you've had working on this project and how do you think it will impact the wider industry?

Living in Brazil between 2016 and 2019, I held a post-doctoral position at a technical university in Belo Horizonte (BH), where I taught applied geophysics to engineering students and got involved in some interesting research. The motivation for this particular project were losses of up to 40% in Brazil's water distribution network. The system selected for the project transports treated (drinking) water through sometimes older concrete pipes and is responsible for the water supply of about 2.4 million people, or almost half of the greater BH metropolitan region.

We used electrical geophysical methods as well as ground-penetrating radar to map soil wetness variations associated with suspected leaks around partly buried pipes. Overall, it was a successful project, in part because most proven methods for leak detection are for pressurized pipes, not gravity driven ones as was the case here. I cannot profess that this research is likely to change the industry as a whole, but I nevertheless took satisfaction from the fact that I convinced a few people of the potential value of geophysics for engineering and environmental ground investigations.

3. You've also worked a variety of roles in the industry, ranging from academic positions to your current consulting role. How would you say your experience has been pursuing various opportunities across the industry?

My career most definitely is not an average one, if such a thing exists. I spent most of my career in academia, but when I first came to Australia in 2014 and was ready for something new, the job market wasn't great. My move to Brazil in 2016 was not work related, and when I came back in 2019 (in my "late mid-forties" at the time), I figured that the likelihood of finding my desired job in consulting had become pretty slim!

However, I was wrong. At the advice of a friend, I sent some statements of interest around and was given a chance with Southern Geoscience Consultants. And to tell you the truth, I haven't looked back. These days, pursuing opportunities involves writing proposals, giving presentations, meeting with clients, and plenty of out-of-the-box thinking (our robot field assistant as latest example). Yup, consulting is a blast.

1. As someone with over 30 years' worth of experience in the industry, what would you say first drew you to the industry?

I started my laboratory career in 1989 as a 19-year-old working for the QLD Department of Primary Industries Food Research laboratory. I had only just completed my first year and a half of a Science Degree and managed to get a job as a lab technician in the Flavour Chemistry lab working on Headspace GCMS instruments. I was told afterwards that they had previously had trouble finding the right person to work in chromatography, so they had decided to employ someone who was young and didn’t know anything that they could train up from scratch. I certainly fit that bill! I was very fortunate to be the right person at the right time and was able to complete my degree while working in a variety of roles over the next few years. However, on completing my degree, I realised that without a PhD, my prospects of getting a role as a Scientist at the DPI were pretty slim, so I started looking about for another job that better suited my skills and my career ambition.

The ALS Environmental Division started in Brisbane in 1992 and by 1994 it was growing and looking for a new Volatiles Chemist. That was the first time I had ever heard of Environmental Science, and I was immediately drawn to the role. I loved the idea of being able to use my qualifications in science and my interest in environmental sustainability to build a career. I started working for ALS in August 1994 and have grown with the company to now be the General Manager for Environmental Australia.

2. You've spent nearly 30 years at ALS Environmental - what are some opportunities you've had during your time there? Any exciting projects you've worked on? (We’d love photos too if you have them)

Within 12 months of starting at ALS I had the opportunity to relocate to Sydney to help establish the laboratory there. At this time, the Environmental Industry in Australia was really beginning to take off, the Sydney Olympics were coming and there were substantial contaminated land redevelopments underway. I was very fortunate to ride that wave with ALS and within a few years I was promoted to Senior Organic Chemist and then ALS Sydney Lab Manager. In those days, the business was still small and as Lab Manager, I spent most of my day talking to clients. We had a couple of Client Service people writing quotes, but almost all of the client liaison, queries and problem solving was handled by the Lab Manager (which is a far cry from the large and very capable Client Service teams we have now!). I was very fortunate to have this exposure as it gave me the insight and understanding of what clients needed from a lab and enabled me to make sure we were able to meet those needs.

I had the opportunity to work closely with Environmental Consultants on a variety of high-profile projects such as the Homebush Bay remediation, Orica Botany and too many others to remember. By far the most significant was the AGL Mortlake Gasworks remediation, which at that time was (and very likely still is) the largest gasworks remediation ever carried out in Australia. In my last few years in Sydney, I had the opportunity to travel for ALS to Hong Kong for two months and then Mexico for six months to assist with technical developments. In 2003 I returned to Brisbane as Lab Manager and then became QLD State Manager in 2007. Since my return to Brisbane, I have worked with clients on significant projects such as Newstead Gasworks, the Clem7 and Airport Link tunnels and what was is probably the highest profile PFAS spill in Australia. I have also worked on huge resources projects such as environmental compliance for the massive dredging project for Port Curtis in Gladstone, plus environmental monitoring programs for the Mining and Coal Seam Gas industries. Being in Queensland, and being the land of massive floods and cyclones, this also means pulling out all stops in times of need to help manage or prevent potential weather initiated environmental disasters!

3. What are some up-and-coming industry projects you're excited about?

I am continually amazed by how much work there is still to come in the PFAS space. It has been keeping our industry busy for some time now, and in some ways, it is only getting started! Besides that, I am looking forward to the projects arising from the 2032 Brisbane Olympics. My career with ALS took off with the development related to the 2000 Sydney Olympics and I think it would be a great bookend to my career to be involved with whatever the 2032 Olympics brings.

4. What would you say to an early career professional in the industry looking for new opportunities - any advice?

Try to get as much diverse experience as you can early in your career. You don’t know where your career is going to take you, and any one of those bits of experience may be the key to your next role. Also, “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth” – if an opportunity presents itself to you, take it. Especially if it means moving out of your comfort zone – whether that be technical capability or moving to another state or country. If you are young, you have plenty of time in your career to course correct and find what you really love.

1. You have been part of the ALGA volunteering family for some years. Can you highlight some of the work you have done with us over the years and what you find most rewarding as a volunteer?

My volunteering journey started with ALGA back in 2016 when I first joined the Sydney Branch Committee and assisted with the organisation and facilitation of local branch events. In 2018 and 2019, I was the Chair of the Sydney Branch Committee and took on a more active role in the organisation of local events. I have also been a regular presenter at ecoforum events since 2016 and have assisted with the ecoforum conference and other event committees in various capacities since 2021. Most recently, I have been appointed to the Board of Directors but am also looking forward to retaining an active role in event committees and other exciting initiatives led by ALGA. One of the aspects I find most rewarding about volunteering is the opportunity to connect with and meet individuals from across the industry. There are a number of truly great people I have built strong relationships with purely by meeting them as part of my volunteering roles at ALGA. I also find that volunteering often pushes me outside of my comfort zone as I get pulled into intimidating roles such as chairing events. Those roles are always daunting but ultimately are almost always a great opportunity to build new skills.

2. Congratulations on your appointment to the Australasian Land and Groundwater Association (ALGA) Board of Directors at the recent Annual General Meeting. Can you share with me what drew you to putting your hand up as a Board Director for ALGA?

Thank you! I am very passionate about the important role that ALGA plays in the industry but in all honesty, I think it was a moment of spontaneous bravery and some strong encouragement from one of my mentors that pushed me to nominate myself! Being elected to the Board is something that I never would have imagined would be possible so it is an opportunity that I do not take lightly or for granted and I am motivated to use this opportunity to action feedback from our members, grow our offerings and challenge the organisation to take meaningful steps on climate action.

3. Given you have worked in the sector for more than 10, can you share what attracted you to the contaminated land and groundwater sector and what part of your current role at Qantas you are most passionate about?

The solutions and outcomes focused aspects of contaminated land and groundwater management has always appealed to me and still motivates me today. The technical aspects of my role have always been a strong source of challenge and interest for me because there is just so much to learn that it is simply impossible to master every topic in one career. Lastly, in terms of my current role, the scope, complexity and scale of the environmental risk management at Qantas is so large and so diverse that it keeps me on my toes! My current role provides me with a nice blend of technical challenges, project directing opportunities, risk identification and management focus areas as well as environmental strategy functions that feed both my natural curiosity as well as my appetite for professional challenge and growth.

Dr Danielle Toáse is an environmental geochemist with more than 10 years experience spanning across the research, regulation, remediation contracting, consulting and corporate environmental management sectors. She completed her PhD in 2015 at which was focused on the development of chemical fixation amendments for application at legacy landfills in Antarctica. Her specialist areas include emerging contaminants, contaminated site assessment and remediation, circular economy and environmental risk management. She is currently completed her Masters in Business Administration majoring in Sustainability and has been a Board Member of ALGA since 2023.
 

It was a very welcome and totally unexpected honour to be presented with Life Membership of ALGA at ecoforum in October 2023.

It certainly prompted reflection on my time working in contaminated land management and especially my association with ALGA.

By way of background, I graduated in Chemical Engineering at University of Melbourne in 1979 and worked with Orica (formerly ICI Australia) from 1980 until retirement in mid-2021. My career had two halves:

1. the first half (front end) spend in process plant design, start-up and operations, as well as technical/OH&S management and engineering project management roles. A strong focus of these roles was to avoid loss of containment and emissions of hazardous chemicals that might create land and groundwater contamination.
2. the second half spent in contaminated land management. I managed a small team of environmental project managers addressing Orica’s historical land and groundwater contamination issues, the most significant being in its Australian operations.

As a “freshie” in the contaminated land industry in the early 2000s, I was keen to find a way of upskilling and understanding the mysterious and murky world of contaminated land regulations, guidelines and practices. Different environmental consultants would spin different stories to an inexperienced project owner about how serious contamination problems were, and the way the various EPA’s would interpret them. And then there was the whole human health and environmental risk assessment process, with its practitioners being seen as superior beings whose work was: a) hard to penetrate, and b) impossible or resistant to challenge. I lobbied ACLCA to see if they could broaden their church to allow non -consultants to attend their technical meetings, to no avail. It did make me wonder about the “closed shop mentality” of the industry at the time. In this period there seemed to very limited leverage of the overseas remediation expertise within the local consulting industry, even those consultancies that were clearly global/multi-national.

Thankfully, I found there were a number of like-minded people in the industry that saw the value of a very broad contaminated land industry association that was open to all facets of the industry, with the broad objective of information sharing to improve practices in contaminated land investigation and remediation. I shared many fruitful discussions with Drs Peter Nadebaum and John Hunt in the lead-up period to the formation of ALGA.

In the early years of ALGA, I found the branch meetings and conferences a wonderful way to network, learn and challenge my own thinking and biases. So much “good oil” was to be found out over pre-and -post meeting drinks in an informal and collegiate atmosphere. And the views from lawyers’ offices were so inspiring too. And sometimes we needed to continue meetings at other establishments when the caterers’ called “time” …..

I was a member of the Victorian (really Melbourne) branch committee in its early years. I presented regularly at branch meetings and conferences on some of Orica’s issues. I encouraged my Orica team to do likewise. I was also keen to see the Australian consulting and remediation companies lift their game in application of international best practice, so would share learnings from Orica’s attendance at the biennial Battelle Conference on the Remediation of Chlorinated and Recalcitrant Compounds. It was pleasing to see the number of Australian attendees at this conference grow almost exponentially, accelerating improved practice.
 

I decided to nominate for the ALGA Board in November 2020 given circumstances (including imminent retirement from Orica) would afford me the time to contribute effectively to the role. It proved to be a very challenging period for ALGA, with the massive upheaval of COVID-19 continuing through 2020 and 2021, significant organisational instability, CEO resignation and replacement in the first half of early 2022, and a major downturn in ALGA’s financial health through the 2021/2022 financial year, primarily as a result of these factors.

As a member and then Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee, supported by the incoming CEO Matt Potter and some very positive staffing changes, we were able to make significant improvements to the budgeting and financial management processes to stabilise and then start improving ALGA’s financial situation. We also reset the way ALGA manages its investment of its reserve funds, which had become inappropriate to the changed circumstances. I am confident that ALGA now has re-established the right processes, as well as having great people in all key roles, to restore and maintain its long -term financial viability and growth. This is my most gratifying contribution to ALGA.

But by far the greatest thing about my experience with ALGA has been the wonderful people I have met and worked alongside over so many years, especially in the period on the ALGA Board. ALGA is well-positioned with its professional and dedicated staff and a wonderful band of enthusiastic volunteers.

It has been a pleasure to play a small part in the ALGA story, and whilst retirement means more golf and travel rather than branch meetings, webinars and conferences, I will maintain my keen interest in ALGA’s health and its activities.