We have invested considerable resources over the past 15 years to ensure that our landfill sites are made safe for residents living on or near them.
We have installed monitoring wells and ground gas control measures on many of the larger landfill sites in the borough. These allow us to take routine gas and water samples to ensure that contaminant levels are not dangerous. You may have seen us out monitoring in your area.
We have used old records and maps to identify priority sites for further investigation. These are sites with a higher risk of pollution - based on records of historic industry or landfill; and sensitive uses of the land, residential accommodation for example. We are investigating high priority sites first.
We make sure that, when land is redeveloped, the developers investigate for contamination and clean up the land so that it is safe for its intended use. Our planning office require this in accordance with national planning policy. This is to make site investigation and clean up part of the planning permission process.
We hold over 1,000 site investigation reports dating back to the 1970s detailing environmental works that have been undertaken across the borough. Many sites around the borough have been cleaned up.
Work on contaminated land may involve removing or destroying contamination. Sometimes, however, this is not practical and instead work is done to break the pathway between the contamination and any users of the site - by installing barrier membranes for example.
Bedfont Lakes Country Park is an example of what can be achieved. By installing barriers in the ground on this former landfill site, gas-venting wells and clay capping on the top, the site has been transformed into a nature reserve and outdoor leisure facility open to the public.
Full details on the council’s work are available in the contaminated land strategy.