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
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How much of any given contaminant is actually taken up into human bodies? If we think about it, that is one of the single most important things to consider as an environmental consultant when reportin...
#37 The 2025 Reflection (00:42:36)
The 2025 Year in Review (That Wasn’t Supposed to Happen) What started as a neat 15-minute intro quietly turned into a full end-of-year wrap-up. Classic Below the Surface. Gunnar and James get side-tra...
#36 The Client - TMA (00:43:31)
What it's really like to be regulated? Regulators, take note - this one’s for you. We are shining the light on the third corner of the Regulator – Consultant – Client relationship: the Client. What’s...
#35 The PFAS Heath Advice (00:55:57)
The NSW Health PFAS Advice includes quite some statements: “The health effects of PFAS appear to be small.” “… there was definite evidence of increased psychological distress in … exposed communities,...
#34 The Stormwater Stirrer (00:48:52)
Gunnar (without James this time) gives it a go to get to the bottom of the very basics of what we need to think of around stormwater on a site. There are few better suited to talk about the subject th...
#33 The Waste Class Blues (00:59:15)
James K (James Karagiannis) has personally completed a stack of waste classifications. And in addition, he has reviewed somewhere between 1,000 and 1,200 reports written by other consultants for our c...
#32 The EPA CEO (00:52:49)
Tony Chappel, the CEO of the NSW EPA, is our guest today, so we are definitely back with a bang after the summer holidays. Gunnar and James are (surprisingly!) well-prepared and keep the conversation...
#31 The Half Price EV (00:59:45)
Electric Vehicles are basically half price in Australia right now, thanks to some little-known government incentives. Gunnar and James decided it was the perfect time to talk… tax. Yes, tax. And you t...
#30 The Duplicate (01:19:26)
Gunnar claims almost all duplicates we take serve close to no purpose. If you want to know why, have a listen and be entertained and informed at the same time. The OGs are back together in this episo...
#29 The New AS5370 Standard (00:35:00)
Attention Asbestos in Soils Specialists, there is a new kid in town. The Australian Standard 4964-2004 Method for the qualitative identification of asbestos in bulk samples has been superseded with a ...
#28 The OCSE Odyssey (00:46:09)
The Office of Chief Scientist and Engineer (OCSE) has issued recommendations concerning asbestos in waste and soil. Sarah Mansfield, Special Counsel (and environmental law superstar) at Norton Rose Fu...
#27 The Chronicles of an Auditor (00:42:23)
Rod Harwood - do we need to say anything else? There are few who have had more influence on our industry and who have contributed more than Rod. Gunnar had a chat with Rod and while they reminisce ab...
#26 The Quickie (00:32:23)
Gunnar and James take a dive into all sorts of events that have happened in the past few weeks. 1 - The EIANZ announces the punishment of a member. 2 - A $30,000 fine issued by a Council 3 - MASSIVE ...
#25 The Duty to Report (00:45:23)
The Duty To Report may seem like a peculiar law in our industry, yet it's just another one of the many quirky regulations that shape our environmental consulting world. As such, it was begging to be t...
#24 The Recruiter (00:50:55)
Daniel James is someone worth knowing when you are working in our industry. Is he a contaminated sites or resource recovery leader like many of our other guests? No, but he will put you in touch with ...
#23 The Basics: Acid Sulfate Soils (00:55:01)
Acid Sulfate Soils are a tricky subject. The second episode of our "The Basics" series is all about the ASS (oh this acronym is just endlessly amusing, isn't it?). Gunnar and James' guest is Laurie Fo...
#22 The Basics: Planning (00:50:41)
Everything you always wanted to know about planning, but were afraid to ask. If you don't get that movie reference, don't worry, it just means you are much younger than Gunnar, that's all. We are sta...
#21 The Forever Plates (00:43:44)
Can eco-friendly plates and food containers made from sugarcane mulch sneak in some hidden PFAS? And can that PFAS end up in your compost, and eventually your garden soil? Cara Roberts and David Sprin...
#20 The Loophole (00:48:36)
Grey Areas and Loopholes – Where to Draw the Line? This episode dives into the murky waters of our industry's "grey areas", or, if we are re being honest, loopholes. From VENM (Virgin Excavated Natura...
#19 The Inventor (00:31:20)
In a fictitious world where electricity reigns supreme, Gunnar has "invented" a revolutionary engine that uses ... wait for it ... petrol! That’s right, in this universe, electric engines are the norm...
#18 The Remedial Action Assessment (00:38:04)
A re-think of the classic Preliminary Site Assessment => Detailed Site Assessment => Remedial Action Plan scenario. Guest Andrew Kohlrusch, EPA Auditor and contaminated sites expert extraordinaire, jo...
#17 The Blueprint (00:41:23)
Australia's landscapes are in serious need of an injection of TLC (Tender Loving Care, not some dyslexic chlorinated hydrocarbon). TLC and a bit of money. $7.3 Billion per year over 10 years to be mor...
#16 The Sparrow in the Lead Mine (00:46:46)
Measure lead levels in blood of house sparrows and accurately predict lead blood levels in children in that town. No way? Absolutely YES WAY! That is exactly what Prof Simon Griffith with his PhD ca...
#15 The STEMinist (00:46:35)
How can young (female) professionals tackle the flood of knowledge they must acquire in a fast-paced consulting environment while at the same time having to deal with sometimes perceived but too often...
#14 The Honest Truth (00:48:15)
The EPA names and shames a consultancy for allegedly falsifying reports. Meanwhile clients are beginning to use legal privilege as a strategy to avoid potential subpoenas — just as we anticipated in T...