AUCKLAND IN PERSON EVENT - Assessing and Managing Risks Associated with Erionite and Low-Level Asbestos

Hear from a range of professionals including university professors, an engineering geologist and a regulatory body on their perspectives of assessing and managing risks associated with fibrous minerals, particularly low-level asbestos and erionite.

They will provide an overview of what erionite is, where it forms, why it is of concern and how the associated risks can be assessed and managed. This will be complimented with a presentation on how a regulatory body in New South Wales addresses low-level asbestos contamination.

This will be an engaging session with the opportunity to ask all your fibrous mineral related burning questions!

Alessandro Gualtieri

Professor – Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences

Alessandro F. Gualtieri, with a PhD in Mineralogy and Crystallography, is full professor of Mineralogy at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia in Modena (Italy) since 2005. He recently (2018-2021) served as Head of the Chemical and Earth Sciences Department.

His 30 years-long research activity is characterized by the use of mineralogical-crystallographic methods to understand physical and crystal-chemical properties responsible for the toxicity and pathogenicity of mineral fibres, with special attention to asbestos and erionite. He developed a model for the prediction of the toxicity/pathogenicity potential of mineral fibres used to understand in vivo adverse effects prompting lung malignancies.

Max Blakemore

Senior Engineering Geologist

Max is a Senior Engineering Geologist at Jacobs who’s gained his experience working in the transport and water market sectors in the United Kingdom, Qatar, Australia, and New Zealand. Max specialises in undertaking geological mapping, developing ground models, identifying geotechnical risks and providing geotechnical construction phase services. Max moved to New Zealand in 2019 and has spent the past two years working on site during the construction of Central Interceptor– Auckland’s largest combined sewer overflow. As the risks associated with erionite were emerging in New Zealand, Watercare commissioned Jacobs to establish the risks erionite posed to the Central Interceptor project which Max was a key part of.
 

Jennifer Salmond

Professor of Geography

Jennifer Salmond is a Professor of Geography in the School of Environment at the University of Auckland. Her research examines population scale exposure to a variety of different air pollutants in urban environments. Her work uses novel instrumentation and field measurement techniques combined with innovative modelling approaches to identify underlying causes and potential mitigation options.  Jennifer has published more than 90 papers in international journals. She is currently co-PI of the MBIE Endeavour funded research project “Assessing and managing the risk of carcinogenic erionite in New Zealand”.

Ana Serra

Acting Manager City Environment

Ana is Coordinator of Asbestos and Remediation at Liverpool City Council, NSW. She is an Environmental Engineer with more than 20 years of experience across several countries and states including Portugal, Ireland, Angola, Western Australia and NSW. She is a Certified Environmental Practitioner and a Licenced Asbestos Assessor, and she has been focusing on asbestos soil contamination for the last 12 years. Ana’s interest in Risk Communication started from her position in Council, where she aspires to establish a positive collaboration between disciplines and stakeholders. She aims to strengthen the dialogue between regulators, community, council, consultants and contractors so that site contamination assessments and site remediations can consider all possible scenarios without avoiding difficult conversations.

Thank you to Our Venue Partner: