Contaminated land

Land can be contaminated by substances like:

• Heavy metals, such as arsenic, cadmium and lead
• Oils and tars
• Chemical substances and preparations, like solvents
• Gases
• Asbestos
• Radioactive substances

We are responsible for implementing the Environmental Protection Act 1990, Part 2A and the Contaminated Land Regulations.

This legislation requires us to inspect and identify contaminated land.

Land is legally defined as contaminated land where substances are causing or could cause:

• Significant harm to people, property or protected species
• Significant pollution of surface waters for example lakes and rivers or groundwater

To determine if an area of land is classified as statutorily contaminated there needs to be a significant contaminant link established. This is broken into 3 components:

1. A contaminant is a substance which is in, on or under the land and which has the potential to cause significant harm to a relevant receptor, or to cause significant pollution of controlled waters
2. A receptor is something that could be adversely affected by a contaminant, for example a person, an organism, an ecosystem, property, or controlled waters
3. A pathway is a route by which a receptor is or might be affected by a contaminant

The only way land can be classified as contaminated if all 3 parts are present and there is a significant link between each.

Contaminated land register

The Council maintain a register of all land in the District that has met the criteria to be declared ‘Contaminated Land’ under this legislation.

Currently no land within the District has met these criteria and has required significant remediation.

For more information about contaminated land email EDWT_Services@eppingforestdc.gov.uk.