Publications & Papers
Much of the work is on farm dairy effluent, land treatment of effluent, nitrogen in the environment, soil and water management and Resource Management Act.
- April 18, 2019
Academic Reports and PhD Thesis
A graduate dissertation report on nitrifiers (bacteria that convert ammonium to nitrate) in soil, a postgraduate report on evaluation of methods to analyse available soil nitrogen leading up to the PhD work and a PhD thesis on ammonia volatilisation from soil applied urea are presented here.
Continue reading- March 05, 2020
Air
Proactive liaison, collaboration, consents management and compliance management can assist in improving air quality in the region.
Continue reading- April 25, 2022
Council Reports
A wide range of RMA, Biosecurity and HSNO issues were tackled at the senior management level through Council reports while being at the Waikato Regional and Otago Regional Councils.
Continue reading- April 18, 2019
Farm Dairy Effluent
Since the enactment of the RMA farm dairy effluent management in New Zealand received closer attention. The RMA enactment and regional council rules have triggered a substantial amount of regulation and research in New Zealand.
Continue reading- April 18, 2019
Hearing Commissioner Decision Reports
Although accredited as a hearing commissioner since 2005, since Dr Selvarajah was employed full-time by the Otago Regional Council he was unable to provide the hearing commissioner service due to heavy workload during his time at ORC. Despite this he had an opportunity to be a technical hearing commissioner for Environment Canterbury on one occasion. Currently, Dr Selvarajah holds the Chairing RMA Hearing Certificate.
Continue reading- April 18, 2019
Land Treatment of Effluent
Soils are the best media to treat effluent when conditions are favourable, with enormous environmental, economical and cultural benefits. Land treatment is not a new concept, either locally or globally. The past two decades of research and practice in New Zealand have provided advanced and useful information for the community, researchers and decision makers.
Continue reading- April 25, 2022
Nitrogen in the Environment
Nitrogen is the building block for life on earth, but in wrong forms and levels in air, water and soils it would have adverse effects on human living. The challenge is how to maximise the benefits of nitrogen while minimising or avoiding emissions, leakages and runoffs.
Continue reading- July 28, 2023
Resource Management Act
Resource Management Act (RMA, 1991) expects everyone to avoid, remedy and mitigate adverse effects on the environment. Full benefits of the RMA can only be attained by its effective, efficient, proactive and sustained implementation.
Continue reading- April 18, 2019
Soil
Soil underpins NZ farming, forestry and economy. Unlike water it buffers many environmental impacts. Much of the solutions for water pollution also lie within soil. Soil deserves a similar attention as water in New Zealand by the wider community, policy makers and politicians.
Continue reading- April 25, 2022
Water Pollution
When water has multiple uses, impacts are unavoidable. The challenge is to minimise or mitigate those impacts resulting in water quality being maintained or enhanced. Much of the solutions to improve water quality from non-point sources of pollution lie within land and soils.
Continue reading- January 27, 2024
News Paper Opinion Articles
From time to time and as and when needed, Dr Selva Selvarajah will be writing opinion articles on critical and ongoing/emerging national or local environmental or sustainability issues in selected NZ Newspapers.
Continue reading