Regulatory regime for contaminated land
The new regime for the regulation of contaminated land is described in part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 introduced by Section 57 of the Environment Act 1995, and qualified by the associated Statutory Guidance and various special regulations.
It is intended for the regulation of contamination of land in its current state, and the elimination of significant harm or the possibility of such harm as defined in a new definition of 'contaminated land' which follows a risk-based approach employing a simple model of source/contamination - pathway - receptor/target. There must be demonstrated the presence of a pathway to enable the contamination to cause harm to the target, which may be human health, the ecology, buildings, animals and crops, or the pollution of controlled waters. It is based upon the principles of 'suitable for use' remediation, the 'polluter pays', reasonableness, openness, transparency, cost, benefit and sustainability.
Although the main thrust of the new legislation is to remove the possibility of harm from the current situation, the application of these principles to the whole of the planning process involving regeneration and the redevelopment of land affected by contamination will prove to be of enormous benefit to all involved in dealing with the problems of contaminated land.
Pollution control has some information on contaminated land gathered from old editions of ordnance survey maps. Landfill is indicated, for instance, where gravel pits shown on old maps now no longer exist. The maps also show the business of many old factory premises some of which may have caused contamination to their sites. This information does not, however, provide a complete record.
In order to comply with our legal duties, the council has produced a contaminated land strategy (word). This document identifies the steps taken to find contaminated sites throughout the borough, and then to effect their remediation.
Details on this strategy can be obtained from the following
officers:
Andrew Lyon, senior environmental health officer,
London Borough of Ealing, Perceval House, 14-16 Uxbridge
Road, Ealing W5 2HL
Tel: (020) 8825 7308
Fax: (020) 8825 6665
Email:
lyona@ealing.gov.uk
or
Richard Ward, scientific officer
London Borough of Ealing, Perceval House, 14-16 Uxbridge
Road, Ealing W5 2HL
Tel: (020) 8825 7390
Fax: (020) 8825 6665
Email:
wardr@ealing.gov.uk.