This module goes through understanding what contaminated land is and how it might become contaminated and then follows on to how land might be remediated (treated) to become useable once more or to a safe background level. Some case studies help in our understanding of why some areas are left conta...
Contaminated land
management and
remediation [3049]
W1
Introduction and legal background
definitions
contaminated land in the uk
legislation that drives contaminated land management and remediation
risk assessment and the source-pathway-receptor concept
options appraisal and remediation
case-study; the Millennium Dome
✏️
Lecture 1
Hazard→ something with the potential to cause harm
Risk→ the likelihood of a hazard causing harm
-probability or the frequency of occurrence of a defined hazard -the magnitude of the
consequences to a specified receptor
Contamination→ the presence in the environment of an alien substance or agent or energy
Pollution→ the introduction by humans into the environment in sufficient quantity or
concentration as to cause harm to human health, harm to living resources and ecological
systems, damage to structure or amenity or interference with legitimate uses of the
environment.
“all pollutants are contaminants but not all contaminants are pollutants”
Contaminated land→ land which appears to the local authority in which it is situated in to
be in such a condition by reason of substances in, on or under the land that:
-significant harm is being caused or there is a significant possibility of such harm being
caused
or
-pollution of controlled waters (groundwaters, rivers, lakes) is being or is likely to be caused
Remediation→ the doing of any work or operation to land or waters with the purpose of:
,-preventing/ minimising/ remedying/ mitigating the effects of any significant harm or any
pollution of controlled waters by reason of which the contaminated land is such land
or
-restoring the land or waters to their former state
Precautionary Principle;
Burden on proof- ‘we will get out when you prove we will be boiled alive’ Precautionary
principle- we should get out until you can prove we wont be boiled alive’
Scope of the contaminated land problem;
1.2% of uk land area is contaminated
demand for land > supply (particularly urban land)
developers encourage reclaimed land use as ‘Brownfield sites’
not all re-used land is contaminated but buyers should investigate sites by assessing
historical use
Land needs to stop being contaminated but already contaminated land and water needs to be
properly managed.
UK Legislation;
Contaminated land
o 1990 Environmental Protection Act
o 1995 Environment Act
Planning
o Town and Country Planning Act (1990)
Water
o Water Resources Act 1991
o Water Framework Directive 2000
o Groundwater Daughter Directive 2006
DEFRA Government Objectives:
-to identify and remove unacceptable risks to human health and the environment.
-to seek to bring damaged land back into beneficial use
-to seek to ensure that the cost burdens faced by individuals, companies and society as a
whole are proportionate manageable and economically sustainable.
Special Sites: the Environment Agency has specific responsibilities for a special site which;
-cause serious water pollution -might be difficult to remediate due to the presence of certain
specific substances -is already regulated by the Environment Agency or SEPA -would be best
served by a single point of contact
, Contaminated Land Assessment and Implications
Risk assessment→ Options appraisal→ Implementation of remediation
1. Is the contamination a problem or could it become a problem?
2. Deciding what to do and how to do it.
3. Dealing with contamination and proving that you have done so.
Preliminary risk assessment; defines project objective, involves a desk study and site
visits to identify the contaminant/ sources/ pathways/ receptors, developing an
outlined conceptual model
Generic quantitative risk assessment; designing and undertaking site investigations
and analysis, undertaking risk assessment using generic assumptions, refining the
conceptual model
Detailed quantitative risk assessment; designing and undertaking site investigation
and analysis, undertaking risk assessments using site specific data and sometimes
complex numerical models, refining the conceptual model
Remediation→ permanently breaking the source- pathway= receptor linkage (on of the
linkages)
prepare, implement and verify remediation
design, implements and verify remediation
long-term monitoring and maintenance
-modify or remove the source of contamination or -interrupt the pathways (e.g. a barrier) or -
modify the receptor (e.g. less sensitive redevelopment) or A combination of the above.
Other Concepts;
Source→ pathway→ receptor
Pathway→ a route or means by which a receptor could be/ is exposed to or affected by a
contaminants
Pollutant linkage→ the relationships between contaminant, pathway and receptor
Conceptual model; a representation of the characteristics of the site in diagrammatic or
written form that shows the possible relationships between contaminants, pathways and
receptors.
Which receptors may significant harm be caused to?
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