Defence uses a number of hazardous substances (potential pollutants) to meet its operational objectives. The release

of pollutants can occur through a range of activities such as military training exercises, construction/demolition of infrastructure and during normal base operations such as power generation, workshop activities, and fire drills. All of these activities have the potential to impact on human health and the environment.

Defence is developing a strategy to identify sources of pollutants and to minimise their lifecycle environmental and human health impacts. This has a number of benefits to Defence including ensuring pollution prevention considerations are integrated into all future infrastructure and militaryequipment acquisition. The other main focus of the strategy is on minimisation of emissions and discharges of pollutants during the use, maintenance and disposal of existing and future assets. This must occur in a manner which meets Australian Defence Force (ADF) and legal requirements.

Why do we do this?
To ensure:

• Appropriate environmental management of potentially polluting substances supports capability;
• Defence Management is fully aware about the potential risks associated with Defence activities that may impact upon the environment;
• Adverse polluting activities are considered, managed and mitigated to the greatest extent practicable;
• Compliance with regulatory requirements;
• Employees' health and environmental degradation are protected;
• Escaping pollutants from Defence activities will add extra burden to clean-up costs associated with soil and groundwater contamination. Hence, a preventative strategy on a case by case basis for all critical situations can save millions of Defence dollars in the long run by avoiding clean-up costs; and
• Defence's reputation as a sound environmental steward is enhanced.

How do we do it?
This is done by:

• documenting the activities/processes within the Bases and Training areas with significant pollution potential and defining the nature and extent of potential pollutants involved;
• classifying, segregating, collecting and disposing of hazardous wastes in an approved manner and following the general waste management hierarchical theme, viz, avoidance, reuse, recycle, recovery and ultimate disposal;
• identifying the pollutants of concern and their possible emission pathways to impact on human health and the environment;
• identifying risks or impacts (toxicity, bioaccumulation etc) of each identified pollutant on human health and the environment;
• developing pollution prevention risk mitigation programs and selecting cost-effective solutions through site EMS/environmental management programs in the Regions;
• monitoring, checking and reviewing management actions;
• auditing of Defence sites/records periodically for a range of pollution situations to identify/report/resolve non-compliant activities and practices;
• promoting pollution prevention awareness for Defence users;
• reporting any polluting incidents and taking prompt cleanup actions and reviewing of procedures;
• incorporating research and development (R&D) results on targeted pollutants in the development of new technologies, processes and guidelines; and developing environmental guidebooks/pollution prevention manuals to support Defence users making appropriate decisions.

Contacts

The Director Energy Efficiency and Resource Management (DEERM) is responsible for the development of pollution prevention policy for Defence. The National R&D program for pollution prevention is being undertaken for Defence by the University of South Australia. Current investigations include the persistence and toxicity of aqueous fire fighting foam, and monitoring the natural attenuation of a hydrocarbon and solvent plume. The delivery of the annual environmental management program is delivered through the Regions supported by Regional Environmental staff.