Explanatory Memorandum

Waste and Contaminated Land (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2011

2011 CHAPTER 5

10 February 2011

Commentary on Sections

Contaminated land

Section 7 – Contaminated land: pollution of waterways and underground strata

This section revises the definition of “contaminated land” for the purposes of Part 3 of the 1997 Order. The contaminated land regime now covers substances causing significant harm in, on or under the land and significant pollution of waterways and waters within underground strata in the saturation zone but does not cover those waters in direct contact with the ground or subsoil within the unsaturated zone.