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BOC Immingham Dissolved Acetylene Project Environmental Statement: Vol. 2 Main Text
7. Geology, Hydrogeology and Land
Quality
Introduction
7.1 This Chapter presents the geology, hydrogeology and land quality assessment for the Dissolved
Acetylene Project. It includes the relevant legislation and policy, assessment methodology and
significance criteria, baseline description, identification of potential impacts, impact assessment,
mitigation measures, residual impact assessment and recommendations. Where activities are
identified that could have effects on hydrological receptors water quality, the assessment of these
impacts is provided in Chapter 8. Where activities are identified that could have effects on
ecological receptors, the assessment of these impacts is provided in Chapter 10. The potential for
cumulative and in-combination impacts is discussed in Chapter 16.
Assessment Methodology and Significance
Criteria
Legislation and Policy
Contaminated Land
7.2 Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 33 introduced a statutory regime for the
identification and remediation of ‘Contaminated Land’. It introduced, for the first time in the UK, a
statutory definition of ‘Contaminated Land’ based on significant harm or the likelihood of
significant harm (including risks to human health) or the pollution or likely pollution of controlled
waters (all groundwater, inland waters and estuaries but excluding groundwater perched above
the zone of saturation).
7.3 Local authorities are the primary regulators under the Part 2A regime, with a duty to determine
whether the land in their area is ‘Contaminated Land’, although provision is made for consultation
and co-ordination with the EA in situations when pollution of controlled waters is an issue.
7.4 Government objectives with respect to ‘land contamination’ are also set out as part of the
Environmental Protection Act 1990 in the Defra Circular 01 2006 34 as:
� to identify and remove unacceptable risks to human health and the environment;
� to seek to bring damaged land back into beneficial use; and
� to seek to ensure that the cost burdens faced by individuals, companies and society as a
whole are proportionate, manageable and economically sustainable.
7.5 It should be noted that this Circular is being revised currently, although the overall principles are
likely to remain unchanged.
7.6 These three objectives underlie the ‘suitable for use’ approach to the assessment and remediation
of 'land contamination’. This approach recognises that the risks presented by any given level of
land contamination will vary greatly according to the use of the land and a wide range of other
factors, such as the sensitivity of the underlying geology and the receptors which may be affected.
5100935.404 Environmental Statement August 2011 88