Archived press release

FOE Calls For Greater Openness Over Sources Of Soil Contamination

29 February 1996

Friends of the Earth today welcomed the findings of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution into the state of UK soil [1]. The report highlights the wide concerns over widespread deterioration of the quality of land and soils but also draws attention to the current incomplete knowledge and understanding of the problems.

Roger Lilley, Industry and Pollution Campaigner for Friends of the Earth, said today:

"The Government needs to act to ensure that there is inadequate information in the public domain about the threats to our soil and ground water resources. The Commission's report highlights the legitimacy of our concerns and the need for a national monitoring scheme that will be publicly accountable.

"For example, our research has shown that it is impossible for the public to gain access to information on industrial waste disposal into sewers, pollution that is ultimately responsible for the contamination of the sewage sludge spread on land."

However, FOE remained concerned at the recommendation of the Commission that owners of land should be absolved from further liability once contaminated sites have been cleaned up to the standards demanded by the relevant authorities.

Roger Lilley continued:

"There is no certainty that the standards we impose today will be considered sufficient to protect the well-being of future generations. The liability for clean up should always remain with the polluter."

FOE welcomed the Commission's call for the reduction of heavy metal and persistent organic compounds in sewage sludge. Two years ago FOE compiled a database of trade effluent consent [2]. The consents do not necessarily represent the actual discharges but monitoring data of such discharges is not at present made available to the public by the water companies who are responsible for authorising these discharges.

Friends of the Earth gave evidence to the Commission in May 1994 which focussed on:

soil quality and agriculture the risk to soil from waste disposal drainage of peat soils and climate change; and contaminated land

They recommended the need for more research into the impact of intensive agriculture on soil quality, particularly from new crops and techniques in the light of future climate change. FOE presented evidence of the potential scale of the problems of ground water contamination arising out of landfill operations, the problems of sewage contaminated with toxic metals being spread on land and the connection between increased emissions of greenhouse gases resulting from the draining of organic soils such as peat.

ENDS

Notes to Editor

[1] See Royal Commission Press Release 29.2.1996 "Sustainable Use of Soil".

[2] The Secret Polluters: Industrial Discharges to Sewers. Friends of the Earth, July 1992.

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust