Caring for our Land

Land in the UK is a precious commodity that is in short supply and which we need to take great care of. Human activity can affect it in many ways, some of the more common being:

Contaminated Land

Contaminated land can pose a serious risk to the health of humans and animals. Depending on the nature of the contamination, it could also affect crops and animals that eat the crops.

In general, land is classified as contaminated if it poses a threat to humans, ecological systems (plants and animals), livestock, fish, birds or even buildings.

In some cases, depending on the nature of the contamination, land may be designated as a “special site”. This might happen for example if the land is contaminated with cadmium, mercury, mineral oils or radioactive materials. Alternatively, it might be as a result of industrial processes that have been carried out such as the manufacture of explosives.

In all cases, once identified, contaminated land needs to be cleaned up and it is a matter for the local council or environmental regulator to decide how this is to be achieved. Depending on the circumstances, anyone who causes land contamination or who owns land that is contaminated could find themselves responsible for significant clean-up costs.

Landfill

Landfill sites, which are designated as areas of land for final disposal of waste materials, may be run for private use by the owner of land or may be run as a general service to receive waste from external sources.

Regardless of the ownership or restricted use, there are certain types of waste that must not be disposed of in landfill, including:

• Waste that might be flammable, explosive, or corrosive
• Liquid wastes
• Clinical waste that might be infectious
• Other substances if they are unidentified or if their effects on humans or the environment are unknown

Whatever waste you produce must be disposed of in a responsible manner. If you are using landfill, then you need to be sure that the operator of the site has the appropriate permit to accept your kind of waste.

The best option is to examine ways of eliminating or minimising waste materials either by not producing them in the first place or by finding ways of reusing or recycling them.

Nature Conservation

Land or what grows or lives on it may come under the direct protection of legislation, which may affect what business activities you are allowed to conduct.

Perhaps the best known areas in this category are the UK’s National Parks, but there are also other classifications of land such as Nature Reserves, Sites of Special Scientific Interest, Geological Sites and Biodiversity Action Plan Priority Habitats.

Various species of animals and birds are also protected, regardless of where they choose to live, including for example:

• Birds and Bats
• Badgers
• Otters, Water Voles and Great Crested Newts

And then there are types of plants and fungi that also enjoy legal protection.

If you are intending to run a business that could pose a threat to protected species or habitats, you will need to apply to the environmental regulator for an environmental permit or licence. Whether or not it is granted will depend on an assessment of the impact of your business, combined with that of other activities that are already going on in the area.

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