AECOM: Winner of the 2022 & 2021 ALGA Sustainable Remediation Project Awards
Interview with Keith Maxfield (Associate Director at AECOM).

1. Since AECOM was awarded the winner in 2022 & 2021 of ALGA's Sustainable Remediation Project Awards, have you undertaken any further sustainable remediation projects?

Very much so. Sustainability and ESG principles are actively promoted and highlighted within AECOM, and these awards relate to project innovations that have been years in the making.

We are working on many other projects where ESG innovations are actively prioritised in the assessment and remediation stages – in particular around the use of renewable energy sources, using multiple low-energy remediation processes, minimising waste and maximising re-use of materials and resources.

I think this is one of the most important areas for innovation and development in our industry, and it’s important that we highlight and celebrate these as professionals in the environment industry, especially with so many current and apparent global challenges with climate and resources. I look forward to hearing about the award finalists this year.

2. With SustRem coming to Melbourne this year to join forces with ALGA's ecoforum - what areas of Sustainability do you hope are given focus and why?

I really enjoy reading about the innovations made in the areas of renewable energy and technology innovation in the remediation sector. Whilst there has been a focus on NSZD and passive remediation, I appreciate those efforts and innovations which achieve active clean-up of the environment whilst reducing the environmental impacts of these activities.

3. What are some of the biggest challenges facing sustainability efforts in our industry, and how can they be addressed?

I think prioritising sustainability is a very important role to ensure that it continues to be prioritised, and becomes a normal and expected part of every assessment and remediation project. I’ve seen an increasing concern with ‘Greenwashing’ over time, and I hope that measures to prevent this and to validate sustainable achievements become prevalent to support the importance of the focus on integrating sustainability into our everyday projects.

4. Where do you think your industry is going?

I am really buoyed by the continued focus and importance that sustainability has in our everyday work, its place within the industry guidance and regulations, and the acceptance of this by our clients across all sectors I’ve been involved in. I do expect (and hope) this continues to be a priority and, over time, sees continued regulatory support and industry guidance to validate sustainable measures and initiatives in environmental projects as well as other industry projects.

Article Published on 27/07/2023

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