What is Contaminated Land?

Land can become contaminated as a result of a variety of activities including industry, mining and waste disposal. The Environmental Protection Act (EPA) 1990 legally defines contaminated land as 'any land which appears to the local authority in whose area it is situated to be in such a condition, by reason of substances in, on, or under the land, that

• a) significant harm is being caused or there is a significant possibility of such harm being caused; or
• b) pollution of controlled waters is being or is likely to be caused.'

Who is responsible for it?

In April 2000, Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) 1990 came into force, introducing a new regime for the regulation of contaminated land in England. Its main purpose is to provide an improved system for the identification of land that is posing unacceptable risks to health or the environment, and for securing remediation where such risks cannot be controlled by other means.

In Cambridgeshire the district councils are responsible for surveying the whole of the land in their district and assessing any sites that may be contaminated. Where evidence is found that significant harm or water pollution is occurring or appears likely to occur, action has to be taken to ensure that the land is made safe.

How can I find out more about contaminated land in my area?

District councils are required to keep public registers of contaminated land within their locality.
For postal and email addresses, please refer to the Environmental Health page. Otherwise call the officers on the telephone numbers listed below.

Cambridge 
01223 457892

East Cambridgeshire
01353 616342

Fenland
01354 622377

Huntingdonshire
01480 388360

South Cambridgeshire
08450 450 063