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Soil – contaminated

Some contaminated soils can be, and are, reused.

Through the Waste Protocols Project we have examined contaminated soil to see if it can meet a standard which adequately protects human health and the environment, to demonstrate that it can cease to be waste. However we concluded that this material is variable in chemical and physical characteristics, and there is insufficient data to be able to produce a quality protocol and safely remove waste management controls in all circumstances.

What are the benefits?

Despite the need for businesses to comply with waste management controls, it is still possible to reuse some contaminated soil. This does, at least, avoid some tonnage from reaching landfill.

The current status

We have concluded, for the time being at least, that it is not possible to produce a quality protocol for contaminated soil.

You can download the technical report.

The Waste Protocols Project supported work that we carried out with CL:AIRE (Contaminated Land: Applications in Real Environments) to develop the Definition of Waste: Development Industry Code of Practice. This sets out the type of evidence that developers need to gather to demonstrate that material has not been discarded or has ceased to be waste following treatment.

More information

If you would like further help, please email wasteprotocols@environment-agency.gov.uk