Mark Patrick Taylor is a Professor of Environmental Science and Human Health at Macquarie University, Sydney, specialising in environmental contamination and the risks it can pose.  

His research program investigates environmental contamination in aerosols, dusts, sediments, soil and water and risks to human health. His work has focused on mining and smelting emissions and depositions, as well as contamination in urban environments. In recent years he has examined lead and other contaminants in bees, sparrows, lichens and wildfire ash. His most recent paper examines atmospheric trace metal emissions from wildfires. His work has also encompassed ‘human environments’ and has included analysis of blood lead levels in children, lead in wine, honey, residential veggie patches, household dusts, drinking water and the effect of early life lead exposure on aggressive crime rates.

His group’s work includes Australia’s only community VegeSafe program, which provides free soil metal analysis and advice to household gardeners across the nation. More recently, he started a new global citizen science initiative ‘DustSafe’ to examine contaminants in household dust. 

As a former Commissioner of the NSW Land and Environment Court, expert advisor to a range of government, industry, NGO and community organisations in regard to environmental pollution and human heath, Professor Taylor has contributed significantly to Australia’s environmental protection, management and remediation.  

He has completed several commissions for government in recent years: (i) A review of the NSW EPA’s management of contaminated sites for the NSW Minister for the Environment, which focussed on perfluorinated (PFAS) chemical exposure and its management; (ii) A review of lead in plumbing fittings and materials for the Australian Building Codes Board; (iii) A state of the science review for NSW EPA’s Broken Hill Environmental Lead Program in regard to childhood lead exposures.

In addition, he is a science advisor to the following: the Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation who represent the Mirrar people that are impacted by uranium mining in Kakadu, Northern Territory; the Metropolitan Fire Brigade (Melbourne), which includes his CI role in a clinical intervention trial for PFAS removal; and the Broken Hill Environmental Lead Program, which is addressing childhood lead exposures from mining operations. 

His work has received extensive and career defining media coverage, including in leading outlets such as ABC’s 730 Report, Four Corners, Catalyst, Background Briefing and on the front pages of the SMH and The Age.