Contaminated land in the UK is now defined as:
“Land which appears to the authority 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 significant possibility of significant harm being cause, or Pollution of controlled waters is being, or is likely to be, caused”. (Environment Act 1995)
Why is contaminated land of concern?
Contaminated land is an anxiety if it presents a threat to the environment or if it poses risks to users of the land. Such land is seen to have possible environmental liabilities, which are also of concern to land owners due to their financial and legal implications. Financial liabilities include reduced land values or the implication to fund remediation.
As contamination can take a variety of forms, so it may force in a variety of ways. Depending on the concentration and nature of the substances present, harm may be caused to human health, plants, wildlife, crops, property or ecological systems as a whole. Harm to human health can be caused in a variety of ways and the impacts may range from skin and respiratory irritation to cancer, birth defects or even death. Exposure to contaminants may occur in a variety of situations. Polluted dust can be inhaled, both on the site and in the surrounding area of the site. Small children may directly consume the soil if they play in contaminated areas. Other exposure routes are skin contact, ingestion of vegetables that have taken up contaminants or have contaminated soil attached to them, inhalation of volatile contaminants and asphyxiating gases.
Pollution to rivers, groundwater, lochs and ponds can occur by the leaching of contaminants out of the soil into water courses through the natural ...