Foodborne illness is a global public health issue, with food handling in the home identified as an underestimated source. In Australia, there has been a significant increase in the incidence of salmonellosis with the majority of outbreaks... more
Foodborne illness is a global public health issue, with food handling in the home identified as an underestimated source. In Australia, there has been a significant increase in the incidence of salmonellosis with the majority of outbreaks linked to eggs. This study investigated Australian eggs consumer attitudes, behaviours and risk perceptions associated with the handling of raw eggs in the home. It was identified that 67% of participants chose free range eggs, 11% kept poultry, 7% did not have any preference, 7% cage eggs, 4% barn eggs, 2% organic eggs and 1% pasteurized eggs. The majority of participants (91%) reported they stored eggs in the fridge. It was identified that there is an underestimation of " risky behaviour " associated with the consumption of raw eggs in the home, as 84% of participants indicated that they did not consume raw eggs, but subsequently 86% indicated that they had eaten mixture/batter containing raw eggs. Participants' responses relating to food safety were also examined in relation to their profession and gender. Safer food handling practices were identified by Environmental Health Officers (EHO) and Food handlers compared to all other professions (p < 0.05). However, the gender of participants did not significantly affect (p > 0.05) their responses.
Foodborne illness is a global public health issue, with food handling in the home identified as an underestimated source. In Australia, there has been a significant increase in the incidence of salmonellosis with the majority of outbreaks... more
Foodborne illness is a global public health issue, with food handling in the home identified as an underestimated source. In Australia, there has been a significant increase in the incidence of salmonellosis with the majority of outbreaks linked to eggs. This study investigated Australian eggs consumer attitudes, behaviours and risk perceptions associated with the handling of raw eggs in the home. It was identified that 67% of participants chose free range eggs, 11% kept poultry, 7% did not have any preference, 7% cage eggs, 4% barn eggs, 2% organic eggs and 1% pasteurized eggs. The majority of participants (91%) reported they stored eggs in the fridge. It was identified that there is an underestimation of " risky behaviour " associated with the consumption of raw eggs in the home, as 84% of participants indicated that they did not consume raw eggs, but subsequently 86% indicated that they had eaten mixture/batter containing raw eggs. Participants' responses relating to food safety were also examined in relation to their profession and gender. Safer food handling practices were identified by Environmental Health Officers (EHO) and Food handlers compared to all other professions (p < 0.05). However, the gender of participants did not significantly affect (p > 0.05) their responses.
Directly involving the public in environmental decision-making is now a prerequisite for most government agency programs and initiatives. However, ambiguities exist about appropriate methods of engagement and how much public involvement... more
Directly involving the public in environmental decision-making is now a prerequisite for most government agency programs and initiatives. However, ambiguities exist about appropriate methods of engagement and how much public involvement in decision making is a good thing. Public participation is considered to be essential criteria for best practice EIA. Benefits for both the public and the proponent (or developer) have been increasingly recognised. The following paper questions the role and effectiveness of public involvement in EIA in South Australia. While public participation is recognised within the legislation and various opportunities exist within the South Australian system for the public to be involved in the process, initial analysis of EIA practice suggests that formal methods of public engagement may not influence the process as perhaps they should. A brief overview of South Australian mechanisms and practice is presented. A case study highlights how both formal and infor...
Municipal solid waste is a significant problem, particularly in developing countries that lack sufficient infrastructure and useable land mass to process it in an appropriate manner. Some developing nations are experiencing a combination... more
Municipal solid waste is a significant problem, particularly in developing countries that lack sufficient infrastructure and useable land mass to process it in an appropriate manner. Some developing nations are experiencing a combination of issues that prevent proper management of solid waste. This paper reviews the management of municipal solid waste in northeast Thailand, using the Tha Khon Yang Sub-district Municipality (TKYSM) in Maha Sarakham Province as a case study. The combination of rapid population and economic growth and its associated affluence has led to an increase in the use of consumer items and a concomitant increase in the production of municipal solid waste. In the TKYSM there is pressure on local government to establish a suitable waste management program to resolve the escalating waste crisis. The aim of this study is to provide viable solutions to waste management challenges in the TKYSM, and potentially to offer guidance to other similar localities also facing...
Community engagement in coastal NRM has had an uneven trajectory in Australia. There have now been three phases of coastal NRM that include a role for the community: NHT I–1995-2002 supported the Commonwealth’s Coastcare program; the... more
Community engagement in coastal NRM has had an uneven trajectory in Australia. There have now been three phases of coastal NRM that include a role for the community: NHT I–1995-2002 supported the Commonwealth’s Coastcare program; the regionalisation process of NHT II introduced Envirofund (2002-2008), and the most recent community grants scheme was set up as part of Caring for Our Country (2008-). To date there has been no overview or holistic review of coastal NRM and community engagement in Australia that tracks these transitions and phases. Each of these phases has been explored separately (i.e. Coastcare under NHT I, and regional delivery under NHT II and so on). However, as an adaptive learning strategy it would be pertinent to explore the key lessons from each phase and consider the findings with the purpose of informing future initiatives and transitions. This paper will provide an overview of the coastal NRM transitions with the intent of tracing the engagement of coastal co...
