Pollution

Dieldrin and DDE have been banned in Australia for decades, so how did the pesticides show up in tests on the bodies of nine dead birds?

The NT government has pushed back the timeline for its planned Middle Arm industrial hub, after federal government body Infrastructure Australia rejected its business case. 

Authorities initially feared these balls could be made of toxic tar. Further testing from scientists indicated they are closer to 'fatbergs' typically found in sewers. 

Satellites have long been used to track plastic in the ocean but have struggled to accurately spot pollution against a sandy background. Now a newly published algorithm might change all that, and lead to clean-up work all over the globe.

Huge data centres built for generative AI will generate millions of tonnes of electronic waste by 2030, the equivalent of discarding billions of smartphones each year, a study suggests.

NSW Maritime says beaches that closed earlier this week when black spheres known as tar balls washed on shore are now safe to reopen, following health advice and a reduction in their quantity.

A number of Sydney beaches have been closed after hundreds of tar balls washed ashore. But what are tar balls? Where have they come from? And are they dangerous?

Hundreds of mysterious black spheres that washed up on three popular beaches in Sydney have been identified as tar balls.

Port Pirie in South Australia is home to one of the largest lead and multi-metal smelters in the world, resulting in historical and ongoing lead contamination in the community.

The ABC can reveal that the state's health authority is now offering local councils help to test for PFAS in drinking water supplies, as scientists flag there is a knowledge gap in the size and spread of "forever chemicals" across the state.

Locals and organisers of a new surf festival seek recognition and protection for the Eyre Peninsula's Fishery Bay, as a government decision on a proposed rocket-launch complex nearby draws closer.

A vacant copper smelter site at Port Kembla is up for sale but the operator says at least 300 homes nearby still have heavy metal contamination.

In an Australian first, thousands of street lights have been dimmed at certain times in Canberra, saving on carbon emissions and allowing the stars to be studied more clearly.

The votes are in and Australia has crowned the most amazing night sky experience. Here's everything you need to know about the Milky Way and how best to see it. 

A Doctors for the Environment report has found fossil fuel pollution is killing more people globally than smoking, and is increasing rates of heart disease, cancer and poor pregnancy outcomes.

A large chunk of garbage broke off the landfill on Friday evening, authorities said, crushing and burying homes on the edge of the site as residents slept.

Neighbourhood lights can disrupt the lives of animals that are active during the day or night, but there are steps you can take to help them out.

A recent spate of chemical fires in Melbourne has raised questions about the effectiveness of the state's regulators to prevent large-scale industrial disasters.

Most people in the world live under light-polluted skies. Our interactives show you how even simple changes can bring the stars back into view.

Sparrows are often considered pests, but a new study suggests lead levels in the birds' blood could indicate if children in mining towns have been exposed to high levels of the poisonous chemical.