The new regime for the regulation of contaminated land is described in Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 introduced by Section 57 of the Environment Act 1995, and qualified by the associated Statutory Guidance and various special regulations. There must be demonstrated the presence of a pathway to enable the contamination to cause harm to the target, which may be human health, the ecology, buildings, animals and crops, or the pollution of controlled waters. It is based upon the principles of 'suitable for use' remediation, the 'polluter pays', reasonableness, openness and transparency, cost benefit and sustainability. Although the main thrust of the new legislation is to remove the possibility of harm from the current situation, the application of these principles to the whole of the planning process involving regeneration and the redevelopment of land affected by contamination will prove to be of enormous benefit to all involved in dealing with the problems of contaminated land. Pollution Control has some information on contaminated land gathered from old editions of ordnance survey maps.
Landfill is indicated, for instance, where gravel pits shown on old maps now no longer exist.
The maps also show the business of many old factory premises some of which may have caused contamination to their sites. This information does not, however, provide a complete record.