GB 01 - Stabilisation/solidification for the treatment of contaminated soil (2005)

The purpose of this guidance bulletin is to provide a summary of the Environment Agency’s “Guidance on the use of Stabilisation/Solidification for the Treatment of Contaminated Soil”. The document was published in 2004 as one of the outputs from the CASSST (Codes And Standards for Stabilisation/Solidification Technology) work programme with the objective to provide good practice guidance on Stabilisation/Solidification (S/S) techniques. It is intended to encourage the effective use of S/S in appropriate circumstances by itself or as part of a remedial strategy. An authoritative Science Review has also been produced as part of the CASSST initiative. This provides further detailed information on published literature associated with S/S and is referred to throughout the Guidance document.

This bulletin will summarise the main sections of the Guidance - (introduction, screening, design, construction, long-term monitoring and maintenance, and sampling and testing programmes) - and also provides a brief overview of the Science Review.

GB02 - Managing Japanese Knotweed on Development Sites: Code of Practice (2008)

This bulletin summarises the main sections of the Environment Agency’s “The Knotweed Code of Practice”, including ecological information, prevention of spreading, management, root barriers, on-site treatment/disposal, movement of soils, and affect on site use.

The Victorians first introduced Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) to the UK in the mid-19th century as an ornamental garden plant, however, once fashions changed it was commonly dug up and dumped. The persistent and robust nature of knotweed means it survived this disturbance and spread rapidly, especially along watercourses.

On brownfield development sites, the presence of Japanese knotweed is of concern as it has the potential to significantly raise the cost of the project earthworks. Troublingly, it only takes a very small fragment of the plant to regenerate and begin an infestation (as little as 0.7 g of Japanese knotweed rhizome may grow into a new plant).

This bulletin provides a summary of the Definition of Waste: Development Industry Code of Practice, which was published in 2008 and updated in 2011.