Dr Jimmy Seow

PFAS, Firefighting Foam and Hazmat Specialist

Dr Jimmy Seow has more than 30 years’ working experience in industry, government and research

PFAS and FIREFIGHTING FOAM

• • Dr Jimmy Seow, Fire Fighting Foams with Perfluorochemicals, Environmental Review March 2013.

  • Initiated DWER on PFAS policy and PFAS firefighting foam policy, usage and contamination/pollution clean-up and operational management whilst working as Manager Pollution Response.

  • Nigel Holmes & Jimmy Seow, Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection Firefighting Foam Use Policy July 2016.

  • Citation - Parliamentary Inquiry on Fiskville, Victoria.

  • Jennifer A. Field & Jimmy Seow (2017) Properties, Occurrence, and Fate of Fluorotelomer Sulfonates, Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 47:8, 643-691.

  • Member US Green Science Policy Institute international PFAS subject matter experts group consisting of members from the US, Canada, UK and the EU.

  • Invited scientist in US Green Science Policy Institute’s recommendation letter to US Congress House of Representative and Senate House Committees to reduce the use of PFAS products by US Defence.

  • Adjunct Professor at Murdoch University and Curtin University for PFAS research.

  • Special Participant, ALGA (Australian Land and Groundwater Association) Emerging Contaminants Interest Group.

  • Invited speaker (including as keynote speaker) and presentations at Australian and international conferences, seminars and workshops on PFAS and PFAS firefighting foams such as and not limited to Ecoforum, CRC Care International Cleanup Conferences, IAFPA, ALGA, ALCA, FPAA, Petronas, Malaysian Department of Environment, Changi Airport, Shell Malaysia, Singapore Yale-NUS, IDC Hazchem Conference, US ICA webinar.

  • PhD, Soil Science and Catchment Hydrology, University of Western Australia

  • Recent Consultancy Projects

    • PFAS Adviser to OLEOLOGY Pty Ltd on PFAS treatment and removal – current and ongoing.

    • Incos Engineering on environmental impact on firefighting foams and fluorine free foams – current and ongoing.

    • PFAS Adviser to Pumps United Pty Ltd (now Vortex Group) on PFAS treatment and removal and PFAS business strategic policy.

    • PFAS Adviser to Ziltek Pty Ltd on PFAS remediation in soil.

    • Marine PFAS firefighting foams policy review for AMSA.

    • Environmental impact on firefighting foams for RivTow.

HAZMAT & OIL SPILL EMERGENCY RESPONSE - PLANNING, MANAGEMENT & TRAINING

• • 15 years as Manager for Pollution Response WA Department of Water and Environment Regulation responsible for state-wide 24/7 365 day response to HAZMAT , Chemical and Pollution Incidents and Emergencies

  • Former member WA Emergency Committee for HAZMAT, CBRN and Marine Oil Spill

  • Approved USEPA 29 CFR 1910.120 HAZWOPER trainer

  • Certified Australian TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment

  • HAZMAT emergency response training South Australia Environmental Protection Authority and Malaysia Bomba (Fire Brigade)

  • HAZMAT Awareness Safety Training

  • Oil & Gas industry Oil Spill Planning, Exercise and Audit – founding environmental officer WA Department of Mines Petroleum Operation Division (7 years) responsible for EIA assessment and approval of oil gas operators Environmental Management and Oil Spill Contingency Plans, and consultancy work in the oil and gas industry.

  • Chemical & Industrial Fire Pollutants

  • HSE Risk Management

  • ISO14000 and ISO9000 trained auditor

  • Presentation on chemical terrorism at Security Forum in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore

Publications & Presentations

• • Jimmy Seow, Fire Fighting Foams with Perfluorochemicals, Environmental Review March 2013. Link to Paper

  • Nigel Holmes & Jimmy Seow, Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection Firefighting Foam Use Policy July 2016.

  • Jennifer A. Field & Jimmy Seow (2017) Properties, Occurrence, and Fate of Fluorotelomer Sulfonates, Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 47:8, 643-691, DOI: 10.1080/10643389.2017.1326276

  • Presentation and talks on PFAS and firefighting foam at Reebok Foam Seminar Manchester UK, ALGA PFAS Seminars (Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra), Vic EPA Melbourne, Petronas Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Ministry of Environment Kuala Lumpur

Citations

• • Parliamentary Inquiry on Fiskville, Victoria Link to Presentation

ACADEMIC and RESEARCH

• • PhD, Soil Science and Catchment Hydrology, UWA School of Soil Science

  • Adjunct Professor Murdoch University in School of Engineering and IT, working with the Dean of the School for research into Firefighting Foams and PFAS

  • Adjunct Associate Professor Curtin University – designed and delivered course on Hazmat Management and Response at 3rd year level.

  • Research Fellow HELP University Kuala Lumpur Malaysia

CAREER

• • Policy & Strategic Management – Government of West Australia

  • Environmental Technology – CEO Chemtronics Ltd

  • Oil & Gas Environmental Approval - WA Department of Mines

  • Offshore Oil & Gas, Geophysics – Racal Energy Ltd Singapore

  • Exploration Geology – CRA Ltd Australia

  • IT and Technology and Commercialisation – Partner pop3.com

  • Business Facilitation and Development – MD Linkage International, AET Australia

PHD RESEARCH

PhD, Soil Science and Catchment Hydrology, University of Western Australia

Title: Physical Properties and Hydraulic Characteristics of Soils in a Dissected Lateritic Terrain in Southwestern Australia.

The thesis looked at the relationship between the soil physical properties (soil horizons, sand silt clay composition, soil structure, bulk density, porosity) and its hydraulic characteristics (infiltration rate, hydraulic conductivity, water movement pathway, water logging) so that extrapolation and catchment modelling can be made for other geomorphological surfaces with similar soil properties. A catchment model was also developed to model the areas of water recharge and discharge in the thesis area describing waterlogging, perched groundwater and lateral water movement. The thesis is relevant for salinity issues, pollutant movement in the soil profile and land surface, and for soil and groundwater contamination.

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

• • The Pure in Heart: Historical Development of the Bahai Faith in China, Southeast Asia, and Far East JEH Seow - 1991 - Bahai Publications Australia

  • The environment: our common heritage RW Bell, J Seow - 1994 - researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au