Stuart Khan
@stukhan.bsky.social
Professor and Head of School of Civil Engineering at University of Sydney. Mostly water-related stuff. Views expressed here are my own and do not reflect those of my employer.
Reposted by Stuart Khan
For my own sanity, a little perspective on some claims made in this article…🧵
A gobsmacking story. Water companies let toxic waste disposers, for cash, dump their loads into sewage farms. The sewage sludge is then spread, untested, on farmland, potentially poisoning vast areas, entire ecosystems and the people (you and me) eating the food.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
What’s in the millions of tonnes of sludge sprayed on to farmland? The answer won’t make you happy | George Monbiot
Thanks to breathtaking negligence, the liquid fertiliser used to help grow our food bubbles with a lethal cocktail of toxins, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot
www.theguardian.com
March 22, 2025 at 12:56 PM
For my own sanity, a little perspective on some claims made in this article…🧵
Reposted by Stuart Khan
Very good discussion tonight at Mona Vale - and despite the reputation for NIMBYISM - lots of support for increased density; more social and affordable housing up our way.
AND for a Citizen's Assembly for more input on planning.
Good to hear!
AND for a Citizen's Assembly for more input on planning.
Good to hear!
February 26, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Very good discussion tonight at Mona Vale - and despite the reputation for NIMBYISM - lots of support for increased density; more social and affordable housing up our way.
AND for a Citizen's Assembly for more input on planning.
Good to hear!
AND for a Citizen's Assembly for more input on planning.
Good to hear!
Most people still think Nazis and fascists are bad, right? Is that still a reasonable assumption?
February 25, 2025 at 11:11 AM
Most people still think Nazis and fascists are bad, right? Is that still a reasonable assumption?
Reposted by Stuart Khan
Sydney’s archaic sewerage system a ‘significant’ source of microplastic pollution, CSIRO finds
Sydney’s archaic sewerage system a ‘significant’ source of microplastic pollution, CSIRO finds
Malabar wastewater plant discharges 5.4bn to 120bn of microplastics each day, report says, prompting calls for more advanced treatment processes
* Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast
It is not just human waste that is being…
www.theguardian.com
February 15, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Sydney’s archaic sewerage system a ‘significant’ source of microplastic pollution, CSIRO finds
Is this for real? What an absolute debacle! www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Sewer fatberg of ‘grease and rags’ forces Bryan Adams to cancel Perth concert
Singer was due to perform Sunday night but authorities worried large blockage could cause sewage to back up in venue toilets
www.theguardian.com
February 10, 2025 at 10:05 AM
Is this for real? What an absolute debacle! www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Reposted by Stuart Khan
Whoever forms government after the next federal election has a lot of important work to do! Our piece on the many failures to deliver environmental law reform and why it matters so much. theconversation.com/labors-dumpi...
Labor’s dumping of Australia’s new nature laws means the environment is shaping as a key 2025 election issue
Hopes for environmental law reform during the current term of federal government have been dashed, so what lies ahead for ‘nature positive’ next term?
theconversation.com
February 3, 2025 at 7:44 AM
Whoever forms government after the next federal election has a lot of important work to do! Our piece on the many failures to deliver environmental law reform and why it matters so much. theconversation.com/labors-dumpi...
These poeple should join my walking tour of defunct historic public toilets (and other water & sewage related stuff) in the City of Sydney. Oxford Street was home to a grand underground public toilet (men only!), remains of which are still prominent at Taylor Square. www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...
‘Put it in Blacktown’: Paddington residents upset new public toilet doesn’t respect heritage
The City of Sydney has been on a decade-long mission to double the number of public toilets, but some residents are not happy.
www.smh.com.au
February 3, 2025 at 8:07 PM
These poeple should join my walking tour of defunct historic public toilets (and other water & sewage related stuff) in the City of Sydney. Oxford Street was home to a grand underground public toilet (men only!), remains of which are still prominent at Taylor Square. www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...
Pumping sewage into the sea has long been a Sydney thing – and even $32bn won’t change that. www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Pumping sewage into the sea has long been a Sydney thing – and even $32bn won’t change that
Sydney Water plans to build new facilities inland and expand a pilot scheme to recycle wastewater for drinking, but will need outfalls for foreseeable future
www.theguardian.com
January 31, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Pumping sewage into the sea has long been a Sydney thing – and even $32bn won’t change that. www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Congratulations to 2025 Young Australian of the Year, Dr Katrina Wruck. Dr Wruck develops innovative, green solutions for industrial and environmental challenges, focusing on emerging contaminants and sustainable practices. Great and very worthy selection! youtu.be/zj2o4lxNNJ4?...
2025 Young Australian of the Year: Katrina Wruck | Australian of the Year Awards | ABC Australia
YouTube video by ABC Australia
youtu.be
January 25, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Congratulations to 2025 Young Australian of the Year, Dr Katrina Wruck. Dr Wruck develops innovative, green solutions for industrial and environmental challenges, focusing on emerging contaminants and sustainable practices. Great and very worthy selection! youtu.be/zj2o4lxNNJ4?...
Who needs a television in Sydney, when you have a skylight in the hallway?
January 25, 2025 at 7:52 AM
Who needs a television in Sydney, when you have a skylight in the hallway?
Californians are not this stupid. I’m sure of it.
Trump: "I'm signing an executive order to open up the pumps and valves in the north. We want to get that water pouring down here as quickly as possible ... you're talking about unlimited water coming up from the Pacific Northwest, even coming from parts of Canada."
January 25, 2025 at 2:30 AM
Californians are not this stupid. I’m sure of it.
Bernard Stewart, Scientific Advisor at Cancer Council Australia and Conjoint Professor at UNSW rather bravely telling ABC Radio that government inquiries and ‘common sense’ may not be the best tools to evaluate cancer causality with environ contaminants such as PFAS. www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
Forever chemical cancer cluster concerns - ABC listen
The health detriments of PFAS have been a focal point of a major parliamentary inquiry, with residents coming forward claiming cancer caused by the forever chemical.
The inquiry raises further questi...
www.abc.net.au
January 25, 2025 at 2:18 AM
Bernard Stewart, Scientific Advisor at Cancer Council Australia and Conjoint Professor at UNSW rather bravely telling ABC Radio that government inquiries and ‘common sense’ may not be the best tools to evaluate cancer causality with environ contaminants such as PFAS. www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
Christo strikes at University of Sydney!? Can you guess what has been so nicely wrapped here? (you have to be familiar with the USyd engineering precinct to have a chance at this one).
January 24, 2025 at 7:44 AM
Christo strikes at University of Sydney!? Can you guess what has been so nicely wrapped here? (you have to be familiar with the USyd engineering precinct to have a chance at this one).
Please tell me this article about “balloons” was authored by AI. Still, i quite like this sentence: “Nevertheless, many experts, including civil engineering expert Stuart Khan, blame wastewater treatment plants for everything”. australia.news-pravda.com/australia/20...
The Guardian: E. coli has been found in balloons appearing on Sydney beaches.
Australian scientists have studied mysterious balloons from the beaches of Sydney, Australia, and found bacteria in them that are found in feces. The Guardian writes about this.Local authorities had t...
australia.news-pravda.com
January 23, 2025 at 5:13 AM
Please tell me this article about “balloons” was authored by AI. Still, i quite like this sentence: “Nevertheless, many experts, including civil engineering expert Stuart Khan, blame wastewater treatment plants for everything”. australia.news-pravda.com/australia/20...
Reposted by Stuart Khan
‘Drinking PFAS’: Water providers call for broad ban on ‘forever chemicals’ amid proliferation fears
‘Drinking PFAS’: Water providers call for broad ban on ‘forever chemicals’ amid proliferation fears
Fifty-one sites in NSW have significant PFAS contamination requiring continued monitoring and remediation, EPA tells Senate inquiry
* Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates
* Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast…
www.theguardian.com
January 22, 2025 at 8:06 AM
‘Drinking PFAS’: Water providers call for broad ban on ‘forever chemicals’ amid proliferation fears
Not at all unhappy with this quote regarding the US EPA maximum contaminant levels for PFAS: University of Sydney professor Stuart Khan said it was a purely aspirational statement by an agency that had "effectively plucked a number out of the air"… www.canberratimes.com.au/story/887242...
Forever chemicals being found 'literally everywhere'
Managing toxic forever chemicals already in the environment is becoming increasingly difficult and work needs to be done...
www.canberratimes.com.au
January 22, 2025 at 7:15 AM
Not at all unhappy with this quote regarding the US EPA maximum contaminant levels for PFAS: University of Sydney professor Stuart Khan said it was a purely aspirational statement by an agency that had "effectively plucked a number out of the air"… www.canberratimes.com.au/story/887242...
Your home is full of these chemicals. Your tap water provider wants them banned. www.smh.com.au/national/you...
Your home is full of these chemicals. Your tap water provider wants them banned
The nation’s drinking water providers have called on Australia to ban chemicals found in around 900 household products.
www.smh.com.au
January 22, 2025 at 6:56 AM
Your home is full of these chemicals. Your tap water provider wants them banned. www.smh.com.au/national/you...
Leading Expert Calls for Ban on PFAS in Products in Australia and Beyond. hawkesburyapp.com.au/NewsStory/le...
Leading Expert Calls for Ban on PFAS in Products in Australia and Beyond
Voice of the People
hawkesburyapp.com.au
January 22, 2025 at 2:47 AM
Leading Expert Calls for Ban on PFAS in Products in Australia and Beyond. hawkesburyapp.com.au/NewsStory/le...
On the train to Penrith, I’m looking forward to participating in the discussion at the Australian Senate PFAS Inquiry public hearing this morning. Some key aspects of the message I hope to get across are included here: www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
‘Forever chemicals’ ban criticised as NSW community airs its long-held contamination concerns
Cost of fixing PFAS pollution should be borne by manufacturers and polluters, not governments and consumers, expert will tell Senate inquiry
www.theguardian.com
January 21, 2025 at 7:27 PM
On the train to Penrith, I’m looking forward to participating in the discussion at the Australian Senate PFAS Inquiry public hearing this morning. Some key aspects of the message I hope to get across are included here: www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Fatbergs that closed northern Sydney beaches contained faeces, fresh testing reveals. www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
'Fatberg' debris balls that closed northern Sydney beaches contained faeces, fresh testing reveals
Northern Beaches mayor hopes environment watchdog can ‘identify source so they can stop this from happening at other beaches’
www.theguardian.com
January 21, 2025 at 9:17 AM
Fatbergs that closed northern Sydney beaches contained faeces, fresh testing reveals. www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Reposted by Stuart Khan
.@stukhan.bsky.social lays it all out clearly. (I well remember the Sydney sewage outfall tunnels debate: 'Just dump it further offshore; that'll fix it.')
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Sydney’s unusual sewerage system to blame for faecal and fat balls on beaches, experts claim
City invented Australia’s beach culture, environmentalist Richard Gosden says, but all this time ‘it’s been conducted in diluted sewage’
www.theguardian.com
January 18, 2025 at 7:22 AM
.@stukhan.bsky.social lays it all out clearly. (I well remember the Sydney sewage outfall tunnels debate: 'Just dump it further offshore; that'll fix it.')
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Reposted by Stuart Khan
Once more for those who haven't seen it
You can see the full extent of the land grab here:
January 18, 2025 at 12:40 AM
Once more for those who haven't seen it
Sydney’s unusual sewerage system to blame for faecal and fat balls on beaches, experts claim. www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Sydney’s unusual sewerage system to blame for faecal and fat balls on beaches, experts claim
City invented Australia’s beach culture, environmentalist Richard Gosden says, but all this time ‘it’s been conducted in diluted sewage’
www.theguardian.com
January 17, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Sydney’s unusual sewerage system to blame for faecal and fat balls on beaches, experts claim. www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
The grease balls washing up on Sydney’s beaches appear certainly to be derived from a wastewater source. But which one(s)? How? Why? and why now? www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...
Sydney’s ‘unusual’ sewage system and the beach grime ball invasion
Sydney’s pumping of primary-treated effluent into the ocean makes us out of step with the rest of the world, a water engineering expert said.
www.smh.com.au
January 15, 2025 at 7:52 PM
The grease balls washing up on Sydney’s beaches appear certainly to be derived from a wastewater source. But which one(s)? How? Why? and why now? www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...
Not being a subscriber, this is all I can read of the The Daily Telegraph article about the "discovery" of Busby's Bore under the Allianz Stadium carpark construction site. It's not a "sewer", but I suspect the use of that word is an indication of the tone of the article. Its also not a "surprise"!
January 14, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Not being a subscriber, this is all I can read of the The Daily Telegraph article about the "discovery" of Busby's Bore under the Allianz Stadium carpark construction site. It's not a "sewer", but I suspect the use of that word is an indication of the tone of the article. Its also not a "surprise"!