Years of scientific expeditions to the Antarctic region have left their mark—tonnes of historic waste, ranging from rusty railway tracks to old tins of milk powder, and even dead huskies. Under the Madrid Protocol—the protocol to the Antarctic Treaty on environmental protection—this waste must be cleaned up and returned to its host countries.

Biosecurity Australia, AQIS and the Australian Antarctic Division of the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts are collaborating to develop measures to enable the repatriation of Australia's historic waste, including its adherent soil. Waste that is currently generated by Australia is either incinerated or returned to Australia for recycling or disposal.

Ms Patricia Thornhill from AQIS,  and Dr Brendan Smith and Dr Colin Grant from Biosecurity Australia (pictured), visited the Thala Valley and the abandoned Wilkes Station in Antarctica in January 2009 to examine the rubbish and assess how best to manage its disposal after its return to Australia.