Andrew will introduce the PFAS sessions by drawing upon his experience in the NSW EPA and the Defence PFAS program to challenge the audience with a call to action. What must the audience do next, considering what they will learn during the day? How can they act meaningfully with this information to support and facilitate the development of principles and practices for the protection, enhancement and management of sustainable environmental quality and ecosystem integrity. He will reflect on recent changes in environmental legislation and articulate how some of these new principles can be implemented in future national guidance on PFAS in a way that will create public value. He will examine the differing roles of researchers, policy makers and regulators, consultants and industry in value generation.
Andrew is an environmental engineer with a master’s in public administration and 25 years’ experience in making sense of environmental contamination, including roles in the Sydney Olympics redevelopment, the NSW EPA and the Department of Defence PFAS investigation and management program. He currently leads the NSW environment team for ADE Consulting Group. Having previously presented technical papers at SETAC Darwin and WIOW Canberra, today he will explore some deeper policy questions regarding PFAS.