Environment Agency update on Land Contamination Risk Management (LCRM) guidance

A major update was planned but due to Covid 19 has been delayed. We have received the following email:

MESSAGE FROM ENVIRONMENT AGENCY – PLEASE SHARE.  Unfortunately I am not able to answer any specific follow on questions and cannot give a precise publication date as the publishing lead within the EA has to prioritise coronavirus work.

Dear All

In June 2019, the Environment Agency (EA) published an update to the Model procedures for the management of land contamination (CLR11).

Following the feedback, the EA were due to republish the revised Land contamination: risk management (LCRM) in early 2020.

Given the current coronavirus situation, the EA have decided not to republish a major update.  The time is not right.

Interim update

The EA are however, going to publish an interim update. This includes:

1.     Updated text on the requirements for MCERTS.

2.     Additional  text on the use of in situ testing and rapid measurement techniques (RMTs).

The change to the MCERTS text clarifies that it is only required by the EA on sites that they regulate.

The text on RMTs is not new. It is a part of the MCERTS guidance and in a former position statement and in situ testing is briefly mentioned in CLR11. The EA has updated this text to make it clear these tests subject to meeting other requirements, can be used.

The current coronavirus situation is one of the reasons for publishing the interim update. The use of in situ testing and RMTs may help relieve the pressure from laboratories affected by the current situation.

The EA will publish the interim update as soon as the GOV.UK publishing resource is available.