Antarctic rubbish tips: Australia’s international obligations

In February 2014, the Sydney Morning Herald reported on the “toxic” rubbish tip at the abandoned Wilkes Station in East Antarctica.1 Australia has internationaland domestic obligations to clean up the waste left behind at Wilkes Station after operations moved to nearby Casey Station. These obligations must be fulfilled on the condition that the operation would not result in greater adverse environmental impact, and the historic values of the site are taken into consideration. The main challenges regarding the fulfilment of these obligations are the lengthy scientific assessments, and the logistical and financial burdens of the large-scale project to remove and remediate the area.