News
Review of MCERTS, Performance Standard for Laboratories Undertaking Chemical Testing of Soil
11 January 2012
The Environment Agency has recently carried out a review of the MCERTS soil standard. The revisions take into account comments received by the EA over the last couple of years, the incorporation of the briefing notes into the main document, and other changes based on feedback from UKAS and other steering group members.
Any comments should be sent to Mike Healy at the Environment Agency who can be contacted on mike.healy@environment-agency.gov.uk or 01733 464371. The deadline for comments is 13th February 2012.
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Land Remediation Relief
20 December 2011
The previously proposed abolishment of the Land Remediation Reliefwill not go ahead after HM Treasury’s review following their consultation period. The tax relief is one of just four of the proposed 36 which has been reprieved based on the consultation responses. The Consultation Response Report concluded that “in conjunction with the already agreed removal of the exemption from landfill tax, [its withdrawal] would risk undermining the Government’s plans to support the housing and construction sectors through planning reforms and the release of large areas of publicly owned land for development.” The tax relief will continue to be available, the full Consultation Response Report is available here.
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National Planning Policy Framework Criticised for a lack of clarity and Weakening Environmental Protection
24 November 2011
“Concern over the NPPF is most pertinent within the contaminated land remediation sector as the draft Framework does away with the “brownfield target” that at least 60 per cent of new homes should be built on previously developed land. This not only leads to greenfield land becoming the cheaper, more appealing option for developers, but is likely to see widespread job losses within the remediation sector and brownfield plots left abandoned, remaining an ongoing to blight to local communities – to us, this seems far from sustainable.” Michael Lunn of the EIC.
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Asbestos in Soil: Developments in Legislation, Policy and Practice Conference
19 August 2011
CL:AIRE in association with the Environmental Industries Commission (EIC) and the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS), is bringing together the asbestos management, occupational hygiene and brownfield management sectors for a one day conference. The aim of the event is to share existing knowledge and expertise in asbestos management and to identify and present emerging developments in UK guidance on the investigation, assessment and remediation of land contaminated with asbestos.
Presentations will include: Health & Safety, waste management and contaminated land policy and regulation; current issues with sampling soils containing asbestos; developing sampling and analytical methods for quantification of asbestos in soil; risk assessment and determining sites under Part IIA; legal and insurer’s perspectives relating to sites containing asbestos in soil; remediation of asbestos in soil from a regulator and practitioner’s perspective; new professional training and qualification framework and the development of UK guidance.
1st November 2011, Manchester Conference Centre. visit CL:AIRE website for details.
Draft International Standard to Determine Bioavailability of Trace Elements to Plants
28 July 2011
The ISO Committee Draft "Soil Quality — Plant based-biotest to assess the environmental bioavailability of trace elements to plants" has been published for public comment. A number of plants and trace elements are considered. The date for receipt of comments is 11 August 2011 and there is a prescribed format for those wishing to comment.
Further information is available on the CL:AIRE website.
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Funding cuts could reduce effective contaminated land clean-up
20 July 2011
Urgent action is needed to address cuts in public funding to the brownfield sector, the Chartered Institution of Water & Environmental Management (CIWEM) has warned.
Cuts, it argues, are already having major impacts, on both local authorities
and the Environment Agency, by reducing manpower to address contaminated land.
Some regions no longer have any dedicated experts dealing with these issues,
which could lead to a lack of scrutiny of proposed developments.
CIWEM's contaminated land network chair, Gary Winder, said: "If the
Government reduces the amount of support from contaminated land specialists in
the public sector, we have the potential to create some disastrous schemes that
lead to polluted and damaged land, which may end up in high profile court
cases.
"We strongly urge the Government to rethink the economic cuts that impact
on brownfield redevelopment and to ensure that there is sufficient legislation
and guidance in place to protect against a massive potential increase in
inappropriate and unregulated redevelopments in the UK."
New soil test could give green light to more brownfield site redevelopment
15 June 2011
Experts from the University of Reading have developed a new method of testing organic soil pollution. By more accurately replicating the body's processes when it ingests polluted soil than current tests, this new method could determine that more brownfield sites are fit for redevelopment.
A 2010 Government consultation estimated that perhaps 20% ‐ 30% of the removal of pollutants from contaminated land under the current planning system may be "unnecessary".
Current methods for assessing the risk posed by contaminated land to human health may overestimate the amount of pollutant which can be absorbed by the gut. This is because they use the total soil concentration rather than the amount of chemical that is released during digestion.
Dr Chris Collins from the University of Reading's Department of Geography and Environmental Science, and his team's new model shows accurately how much pollutant is released into the digestive tract. This will give companies vastly improved data compared to current models, thus allowing more informed decisions when remediating sites.
This research was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council and is published on the Environmental Science and Technology Journal's website http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es2004705
New Waste Regulations
6 April 2011
From 1 October 2011, whenever you pass waste on to someone else, you will have to declare on the waste transfer note, or consignment note for hazardous waste, that you have applied the waste management hierarchy.
Further information on this and other aspects of the regulations can be found here.
Budget 23 March 2011
4 April 2011
In the Budget the Government has committed itself to localising 'choice about the use of previously developed land, removing nationally imposed targets while retaining existing controls on green belt land.' The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), has issued a document stating that this will happen through changes to the National Planning Policy Framework. It is argued that the definition of 'previously developed land' has become discredited, and that the new approach is more in line with the Government's 'localism' agenda. The Budget also announced the possible withdrawal of the Land Remediation Relief, as recommended by the Office of Tax Simplification. It is understood that a consultation on the new Planning Framework will take place at a time yet to be announced. The DCLG's full 'Planning and the Budget' document can be found here.
The Environmental Industries Commission Contaminated Land Working Group Industry Survey - Asbestos in Soil
26 March 2011
The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 (CAR 2006) require employers to identify the presence of asbestos, prevent or reduce its spread, assess exposure of employees and to provide relevant information, instruction and staff training.
The Regulations apply to asbestos in soil as well as buildings.
The Environmental Industries Commission (EIC), a lobbying organisation which represents over 200 companies specialising in contaminated land, has established a working group to address the lack of UK guidance. The working group aims to develop closer links between the brownfield and asbestos management sectors in order to understand what guidance would be required to ensure practitioners can provide unambiguous advice on the risks posed by asbestos in soil within the statutory Contaminated Land framework.
The EIC is circulating a survey directed at the brownfield, asbestos management, and regulatory community.
You may access the survey by clicking here>>
The deadline is Friday 8th April 2011.
Mexican Hotel Blast Claims Seven Lives, Methane Considered a Possible Cause
17 November 2010
Investigators are trying to find out if a build-up of gas from the now built over mangrove swamps or other rotting material was to blame for a hotel blast that killed seven people.
Five Canadian tourists and two workers died in the explosion at the Grand Riviera Princess resort in Playa del Carmen, south of Cancun.
In the UK there have not been any mangrove swamps for a long time. However in in the comparatively recent past numerous man made cavities have been excavated in order to remove sand and gravel for construction and clay for making bricks and these have often been filled with waste capable of producing methane and other gases. This is one reason why undertaking a phase 1 environmental investigation is so important, allowing appropriate protection to be installed where necessary.
Exercise Watermark, testing responses to severe flooding in England and Wales
6 October 2010
If you are potentially affected by flooding then this may be of interest. A national flood exercise in March 2011, Exercise Watermark, will test responses to severe flooding across England and Wales.
"Climate change means flooding will be unavoidable in the future so we must take steps now to analyse the risk and plan ahead. The Flood Forecasting Centre is vital in providing the evidence, but we must ensure that we act on it. Exercise Watermark will be a real test of our ability to deal with a range of flooding issues such as burst riverbanks, surface water flooding and reservoir failure.” Environment secretary Caroline Spelman
You can find out more and get involved and be prepared.
The Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Act 2008
23 September 2010
The RES Act introduced a range of civil sanctions as an alternative to the criminal court. This provides the EA with a wider range of options with which to better protect the environment . The aim is to allow a more flexible approach, with the EA able to vary the penalty according to the offence but also allowing offenders to be proactive and offer remediation and compensation options.
Hazardous waste management, Producer Responsibility and international waste shipments will come within the remit by the end of 2010. In 2011 it is proposed to cover Environmental Permits and possibly waste-related Duty of Care.
Free Guide, Contaminated Land; How to Reduce Your Risk and Save Time and Money
15 September 2010
I have written this report to help you avoid costly errors that are sometimes made when dealing with potentially contaminated land. If you would like a copy please send me an email with your name and we will email you our free report.
It is a jargon free report which will help you identify potential pitfalls and arm you with some questions to ask before you commit to any course of action. We will not pass your details to anyone else, contact us at ask@gosolve.co.uk
BS 10175 – Investigation of Contaminated Land – Code of Practice, Revised Draft
30 July 2010
A Draft of the Revised Version is Now Available for Public Comment
The code makes recommendations and gives detailed guidance on investigation of potentially contaminated land, including how to set objectives and choose a strategy prior to commencing investigations. It covers desk study and field investigation design, sampling and on-site testing, laboratory analysis and reporting.
Comments may be submitted via the BSI Standards website by 6th September.
The Revised EU Waste Framework Directive: A Consultation by Defra and the Welsh Assembly Government
29 July 2010
The main new features of the revised WFD are that it requires Member States:
To apply the “waste hierarchy” as a priority order in waste prevention and management legislation and policy;
To set up “separate collections” of waste for at least paper, metal, plastic, and glass by 2015 where technically, environmentally and economically practicable. This applies to both household and business waste;
To recycle 50% of waste from households by 2020;
To recover 70% of construction and demolition waste by 2020.
Capital Growth showcase event at City Hall on Tuesday 29 June 2010
15 June 2010
Opened by the Mayor of London, this event provided information about the opportunities for organisations to get involved in this exciting campaign. Capital Growth aims to transform London by creating 2,012 new community food growing spaces by the end of 2012 - an initiative run by London Food Link and supported by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, and the Chair of the London Food Board, Rosie Boycott. The campaign works with communities to identify suitable patches of land for food growing around London, offering practical support and advice throughout the network of spaces, helping them get discounts on gardening items, free materials, and in some instances funding. Already 500 spaces across London are being supported, benefiting thousands of Londoners, from a floating allotment on the Regent Canal, to 3 raised beds outside City Hall itself.
The event was a great success with an informal mix of speakers, including our local mayor, Sir Steve Bullock, displays and networking designed to give the opportunity to find out more about how community food growing is benefiting London and the ways in which other organisations are already playing a part in the campaign. If you would like to discuss the project in further detail please contact Seb Mayfield, via email at seb@sustainweb.org or by telephone on 020 7837 1228.
Government Agreement for Environmental Policies
17 May 2010
The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition deal includes statements about a range of environmental issues. There would not appear to be any statements on issues directly affecting dealing with contaminated land or of wastes arising from remediation of contaminated sites. The full text of the agreement may be found here.
Capital Growth Networking Events
2 April 2010
Capital Growth recently held network events to celebrate their achievements so far. There were presentations from Capital Growth spaces, Q&A advice sessions, covering subjects such as food growing and working with volunteers. Peter George from GO Contaminated Land Solutions took part in the session on potentially contaminated land. It was a great chance to network, share information and seeds!
Anthrax Concerns at Crossrail
19 March 2010
This week anthrax has been in the news in relation to the London Crossrail project. The concerns are not without foundation as a release of spores killed people during construction of the Metropolitan line in the late 1800s.
2mm bug takes on Japanese Knotweed
10 March 2010
Introduced by the Victorians, Japanese knotweed is a pervasive plant that is costing the UK an estimated £150M a year to control. A Defra working group estimated the cost to control it, across the UK using traditional methods to be £1.56 billion. Japanese knotweed can grow up to a metre a month, finding a way through tarmac, concrete and drains, causing significant damage. Having no natural enemies it has spread widely in the UK along waterways, railways and by human activity such as fly-tipping. "Eradication requires steely determination," says the RHS.
Now the Government is to release an insect to stop the spread of Japanese Knotweed, the bug, called a psyllid, is the latest weapon in the war on this invasive plant. It hopes the bug will act as a natural form of pest control by feeding on sap from its stems, as it does in Japan, thereby causing the plant to die back.
Laboratory tests showed the chosen bug did not eat any other species, including closely related British plants and important crops. The psyllids – or plant-jumping lice, which grow to only 2-2.5mm, will be released initially at two sites, under close supervision.
Environment minister, Huw Irranca-Davies, said: "These tiny insects, which naturally prey on Japanese Knotweed, will help free local authorities and industry from the huge cost of treating and killing this devastating plant."
Chair of environment and sustainability expert panel at the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Ian Nicholson said: "Japanese Knotweed is a big issue for the construction industry, costing millions of pounds each year to manage. The ICE therefore welcomes any advances in providing solutions to this invasive species, provided of course they do not produce any other negative impacts on the environment."
Defra to review Statutory Guidance for the Environmental Protection Act 1990
12 February 2010
Defra has announced the decision to review the Statutory Guidance which underpins the contaminated land regime under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
This decision follows work over the last year to examine the implementation of the current regime and input from a wide range of stakeholders. It is now ten years since the Statutory Guidance was first introduced and Defra believes that there is a strong case for considering where it could be amended to reflect experience in delivering the regime and developments in our scientific understanding.
Over the next few months Defra will be meeting with key stakeholders in the contaminated land sector to discuss where improvements to the Guidance could be made with the aim of formally consulting on proposals to amend the Statutory Guidance later this year. It is envisaged that the act will continue to be implemented as previously during the review.
Given the potential for changes Defra is postponing the publication of it guidance ‘Making Decisions Under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990’.
Fairtrade Fortnight - 22 February - 7 March 2010
12 February 2010
We are not a big company but we try to do our bit with fairtrade tea, coffee and biscuits in the office. We get ours from Traidcraft but there is lots of choice, there are small specialist suppliers and most large supermarkets will have at least one or two fairtrade teas or coffees.
UK's first Water Protection Zone
4 February 2010
Did you know that the River Dee catchment in north Wales, Cheshire and Shropshire is the first and for the time being the UK’s only water protection zone (WPZ), but recent regulations will allow for future WPZs to protect against pollution.
Within a water protection zone (WPZ) you must comply with the rules that prevent water pollution and protect drinking water quality. In the River Dee WPZ you must get consent from the Environment Agency if you store or use:
500 litres or more of liquid food or drink products, that are not dangerous
200 litres or more of any other controlled substance
50 litres or more of any other controlled substance if stored in a single container.
Controlled substances include; liquid food and drink products, fuel and oil, pharmaceutical products, artificial fertilizer, cosmetics, toxic and harmful or corrosive substances.
Defra consultation on Draft Guidance on the Legal Definition of Waste and its Application
29 January 2010
Defra has launched a consultation on Draft Guidance on the Legal Definition of Waste and its Application, which includes among other things contaminated land. Full details of the consultation can be accessed here.
The aim of the guidance is to help organisations make decisions about the classification of substances as waste.
The Guidance is divided into three parts. The first is a guide to help with making decisions about whether substances or objects are waste; it addresses two key questions: Has the substance or object become waste and when does it cease to be a waste? The second explains the background to and the rationale for the guidance. The third provides detailed guidance on case law bearing on the definition of waste.
The deadline for responses is 12 April 2010.
Soil Generic Assessment Criteria Launched
29 December 2009
The EIC, CL:AIRE and AGS have published “The Soil Generic Assessment Criteria for Human Health Risk Assessment” providing a set of generic assessment criteria (GAC) for 35 contaminants which may be encountered on land affected by contamination. This report will assist contaminated land practitioners in providing accurate human health risk assessments. Details may be found at www.claire.co.uk.
London Brownfields Sites Review (LBSR)
27 October 2009
The London Development Agency (LDA) and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) have compiled a comprehensive online mapped database of
The London Brownfields Sites Review (LBSR) online tool could transform redevelopment opportunities in the city. Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping and existing Ordnance Survey maps, the tool allows users to overlay additional information. The GIS layers include transport routes, deprivation, social infrastructure, heritage and the natural environment.
Over 2,000 previously developed
The website also has a downloadable Good Practice Guide supplement focusing on planning-related issues.
Access to the interactive brownfield land map can be found at www.londonbrownfieldsites.org.
Capital Growth
5 October 2009
Capital Growth – Sustain held an open event in the Garden Museum, Lambeth Palace Rd, London, SE1 7LB, on 13 October 2009 for anyone interested in their exiting project to create 2012 new food growing spaces for London. Peter George was there to meet people wanting to take part and to answer their questions on issues relating to potentially contaminated land.
Castle Climbing Centre
11 September 2009
On completion of this interesting project our client said:
Steve Taylor, director, High Performance Sports Ltd
Health Protection Agency Guide Issued: An Introduction to Land Contamination for Public Health Professionals
25 August 2009
The HPA state "The purpose of this document is to introduce environmental public health practitioners to the process used for dealing with land contamination. The document aims to provide an overview of public health issues surrounding land contamination and the public health risk assessment process. It is hoped that this will be a useful guide to the public health issues surrounding land contamination and the regulatory processes used to examine and mitigate the impacts of land contamination.
This manual is intended to be useful to all those with a public health remit. It is intended that this document will prove a useful reference guide to public health professionals with various levels of experience in this area."
It is available here>>.
Evolve Homes
9 July 2009
We recently completed a desktop study for a new client and this was what they said about our work;
"Also I would like to congratulate you on the report you submitted- excellent."
Danny O'Keefe, director
Contamination Investigation
15 June 2009
An investigation, commissioned by Joseph Rajah on behalf of Bellway Homes was recently completed at the above site. In order to comply with the tight timescale we visited site, dug trial pits, installed boreholes with gas monitors, collected and tested contamination samples and issued our report less than one week after receipt of instruction.
Greenwich Starting Blocks Trust
29 April 2009
We are proud to have sponsored Steve Nelson, who has shed a staggering 47lbs, on his sponsored diet. The money raised is going to support you athletes preparing for the Olympic games in 2012. This is the "before" picture.
The Environmental Industries Commission launches “A Budgetary Stimulus for Green Collar Jobs
3 April 2009
The Environmental Industries Commission launched the report “A Budgetary Stimulus for Green Collar Jobs" on Friday 20 March 2009. The report sets out a series of fiscal recommendations that the Government should adopt in the forthcoming Budget to create an economic stimulus for over 300,000 “green jobs.” Copy available here.
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
2 April 2009
It can be expensive to deal with soil contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) due to old leaking equipment. Environmental regulators are advising anyone in possession of equipment contaminated with PCBs to register it and arrange to dispose of it safely or have it decontaminated. PCBs are highly toxic man-made chemicals used as coolants in transformers and other electrical items until they were banned from production in the 1980s. The NetRegs PCB page has more details.
Arsenic Contamination
10 March 2009
On a recent project in Oxfordshire the levels of arsenic in the soil were such as to give cause for concern. Rather than remove the material from site, we undertook bio-accessability testing in order to estimate the fraction of the contaminant soluble in the gastrointestinal tract, and therefore available for absorption into the blood stream. Using these test results we were able to demonstrate that there was no significant risk to human health posed by the soil which could therefore be left in place.