Contaminated land is land that has been polluted by substances such as chemicals, gases, oil or asbestos, and poses a significant threat to:
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people or animals
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waters (rivers, lakes and groundwater)
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ecosystems
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property.
Our role
Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 places a number of requirements on us. These include:
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carrying out inspections to identify contaminated land
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determining if land is contaminated land
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acting as the enforcing authority for contaminated land that is not designated as a ‘special site’
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determining who is responsible for the remediation of contaminated land
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deciding what remediation is required and making sure that it is carried out
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establishing who is responsible for paying the cost of the remediation work
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keeping a public register about our regulatory activity.
Further information on our role and responsibilities can be found in our Contaminated Land Inspection Strategy [PDF, size unavailable].
The public register is available to view online or at Pathfinder House, Huntingdon.
The role of the Environment Agency
The Environment Agency is responsible for:
- helping us identify contaminated land, particularly in cases where water pollution is involved
- in exceptional circumstances, providing us with site specific guidance on contaminated land and the remediation of contaminated land
- acting as the enforcing authority for any land designated by us as a special site
- preparing reports for DEFRA on contaminated land.
You can find more information on contaminated land on the Environment Agency’s website.