3A: Environmental Control

Question 1

What is landfill tax and what is its purpose?

Answer 1

A tax applied to all waste going to landfill.
Its purpose is to pay for remediation when the landfill is decommissioned, and also to encourage recycling.
Aggregate levy has a similar premise.

Question 2

What legislation relates to pollution control?

Answer 2

Environmental Protection Act, Control of Pollution Act, COSHH regs (Control of Substances Harmful to Health).
It is Responsibility of the operator to check if activities need a permit or exemption to operate legally… not the Regulator.
To cause or allow pollution is against the law.

Question 3

When working on a design for a scheme, what should you consider in relation to water and flooding?

Answer 3

• Is development on this site appropriate - is it in a floodplain?
• Whether there is going to be any discharge into the environment (streams/rivers/groundwater) creating pollution
• any changes to the water table or runoff which could cause flooding, or impact flooding down or upstream
• Is there potential for contaminated soil/water on site? For example on brownfield or ex-mining sites
• We should be encouraging as much “soft” flood engineering as possible: rain gardens, permeable paving, integrated SUDS, seasonal floodplains etc. This is in line with LI policy and flood and water management act.
• any design outside your capabilities (e.g. engineering, flood modelling, drainage systems)…

Question 4

What does the LI reccomend in regard to flood management?

Answer 4

• full implementation of the flood and water management act, ensuring the sue of SUDS on all new developments in the UK
• Removal of the automatic right to connect surface water to a sewer
• consider “soft” options first: rain gardens, integrated SUDS
• adoption of SUDS policies in every local plan

Question 5

What legislation covers contaminated land?

Answer 5

The Environmental Protection Act

Question 6

What is the control of pollution act and how may it be relevant to landscape architects?

Answer 6

The Control of Pollution Act requires employers, contractors and subcontractors to protect employees who may be exposed to harmful chemicals.
Landscape architects may specify such pollutants in management plans - for example pesticides. These would also be covered in COSHH regs - control of substances harmful to health.