About CRC CARE

A CRC is an incorporated or unincorporated organisation, formed through collaborative partnerships between publicly funded researchers and end users. CRCs must comprise at least one Australian end-user (either from the private, public or community sector) and one Australian higher education institution (or research institute affiliated with a university).

CRC CARE was established in 2005 through the Australian Government’s Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Program, which provides funding for research ventures to enable researchers to innovatively and effectively tackle large issues faced by end users.

CRC CARE is a research and development organisation providing cutting edge technologies and knowledge in assessing, preventing and remediating contamination of soil, water and air.

CRC CARE was established under the Federal Government's CRC Program in 2005 to bring together Australia’s foremost expertise in science, industry and government in a partnership for the development, commercialisation and extension of advanced technologies and methods for:

1. assessing contamination risks in land, groundwater and air
2. managing and/or remediating contamination
3. developing safe options for land use and the reuse of wastes on land
4. developing solutions that are acceptable to regulatory agencies and the public, and
5. capacity building.

Originally funded for a seven-year term, in 2010 CRC CARE applied for and received an additional nine years of funding through the CRC Program. CRC CARE's second term commenced on 1 July 2011, having been granted $29 million federal funding in addition to partner contributions. This second term will take CRC CARE through to 2020.

CRC CARE’s approach brings together Australian universities with state and Commonwealth agencies and regulatory authorities, mining, petroleum and agricultural industries, venture capitalists, environment consultants and suppliers to work collaboratively on vital contamination issues and sites in Australia and the region. The strength of CRC CARE is in this collaborative approach with industry and government. 

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• Contamination is now regarded worldwide as one of the most immediate threats to the health of society, the environment and to global, national and local economies.
• Australia has well over 100,000 contaminated sites, and Asia an estimated 5 million.
• The present cost of clean-up to Australia is estimated at well over $5 billion.
• Australia and other societies can no longer afford to go on moving pollution from one place to another. We need to solve the problem for the long-term.
• There are significant gaps in our knowledge about the behaviour of contaminants in our soils, water and air, and how they reach humans.
• Safe, cost-effective solutions exist in a risk-based approach, but this needs to be fully developed for use in Australian conditions.
• There is a shortage of skills in Australia for dealing with this problem.

• Contamination assessment and remediation technologies for the development of old industrial land in Australian cities that is expected to create an annual economic benefit of between $540 million and $1.8 billion by 2015 through direct savings in remediation costs and an increase in decontaminated land values.
• Improved public health and safety from cleaner food, land and water and a reduction in levels of environmental disease.
• A significant increase in the export value of Australian environmental assessment and remediation technology and education services by 2015.
• The commercialisation of new technologies and tools for assessing and remediating contaminated land, groundwater and air. New methods to allow the more effective reuse of wastes on land to address contamination problems and prevent land pollution. New technologies for detecting, identifying, monitoring and overcoming the use of toxic contaminants by terrorists and other hostile agents.
• A unique collaborative framework enabling industry, regulators, environmental auditors, landowners and researchers to work together to obtain the information necessary to support environmental regulatory policy development to comply with environmental regulations, and to apply new methods for the assessment and remediation of contaminated environments.
• Remediation solutions that are acceptable to the regulatory agencies and have a high level of public acceptance and confidence.
• A National Contaminated Site Demonstration Program that allows a multi-disciplinary, collaborative approach to be adopted in applying new methods to the solution of complex land, groundwater and air problems.
• An industry participation program targeted specifically at Australian small to medium enterprises (SMEs) providing technology and services in environmental risk assessment and remediation.
• A best practice education and training program that helps industry to adopt the most advanced assessment and remediation techniques, and to prevent further contamination.
• Peer-reviewed, independent scientific understanding of contamination and remediation issues as the basis for a clean, healthy and productive Australian environment.
• An independent source of scientific advice about contamination available to industry, government and the community.
• An enhanced skill base within Australia: 1,000 industry professionals trained in advanced assessment and remediation technologies, 75 new PhD graduates employed in research and industry, and over 350 scientific papers published by 2015.
• A National Centre of international standing and reputation with a strongly linked research, development and commercialisation network extending across Australia.

The CRC CARE addresses Australia's National Research Priorities:

1. An Environmentally Sustainable Australia

The CRC develops new, cost-effective and safe ways to detect, assess and remediate contamination of urban, rural or industrial sites, enabling the sustainable use of land (particularly otherwise high value urban land). It will contribute to the protection of water quality and safety and the natural environment

2. Promoting and Maintaining Good Health

The outcomes from the CRC help reduce the toxicity burden for Australians caused by chronic exposure to contaminants in soil, water, dust and through the food chain. This will indirectly assist in minimising genetic diseases and cancers that have been linked to such contaminants.

3. Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries

The CRC pioneers advanced technologies, information use and methods for environmental risk assessment and clean-up. The market for remediation services and technologies is truly global and an advanced Australian industry will offer significant export opportunities.

4. Safeguarding Australia

By developing sensor tools that have the capacity to detect ultra low levels of toxic material, the CRC helps protect Australia's investment in infrastructure and the nation's health by providing new ways for defence, the police, emergency and health services to protect the community against the deliberate or accidental release of biological, chemical or radioactive contaminants by terrorists or other hostile agents.