The Environment Agency is pleased to announce that Scottish Government and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency are now adopting Land contamination risk management (LCRM) making it UK-wide guidance.
Scotland has produced an ‘Information note on the use of Land Contamination Risk Management (LCRM) guidance in Scotland’. It has been drafted for use in conjunction with the updated LCRM. There will be a link to this in the updated version.
Natural Resources Wales and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency have also provided feedback to this version so it remains current and more practical with links to any different requirements.
The Environment Agency has worked closely with the UK and Ireland Spill Association on the use of LCRM in relation to the remediation of new pollution incidents. The section ‘Dealing with new pollution to soil and groundwater’ has been updated.
The section on Competent person has been revised in order to raise standards across the industry. This is to ensure that those who are using LCRM are competent, have appropriate knowledge, skills, experience and qualifications in the specific area of LCRM they are dealing with and the type of contamination present.
Other changes include:
• Clarification over use of the word ‘regulator’
• Replacement of the term ‘existing contamination’ with ‘historic contamination’
• Revised and improved sections on planning and Part 2A Contaminated land
• Clarity that the use of rapid measurement techniques can be used for all stages of LCRM where an intrusive investigation is required so long as the requirements of the rapid measurement techniques protocol and MCERTS are met
• General improvements, updated links and clarity of text meeting GOV.UK guidelines
The Environment Agency would like to thank Scottish Government, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Scottish Local Authority representatives, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales for their support and inputs to LCRM.
The Environment Agency published the update to LCRM on 12 June 2025 at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/land-contamination-risk-management-lcrm
LCRM is always open for feedback. If you have any queries please contact: groundwater.enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk