§ Baroness Nicolasked Her Majesty's Government
Whether the Polluter Pays Principle has been applied and continues to be applied throughout the Greenwich project.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Baroness Hayman)Yes.
§ Baroness Nicolasked Her Majesty's Government
In relation to the Millennium site at Greenwich, to what depth below original ground level polluted soil extends, what is the minimum depth being treated and where the excavated soil is being dumped.
§ Baroness HaymanThe depth of contamination on the site to be occupied by the Greenwich Experience varied widely. The majority of contamination was contained within the surface layer, which varied between 2 and 4 metres in depth. In isolated instances the contamination extended up to a maximum of 14 metres. The treatment applied to each part of the site has depended on the type and depth of the contamination. No part of the site has been treated to a depth of less than 2 metres and in places the treatment has extended to 14 metres. In order to minimise the quantity of material that requires off-site disposal, techniques such as screening, and possibly soil washing, are being used to reclaim materials which are acceptable for reuse on the site. A limited amount of excavated soil is being taken to a variety of licensed waste disposal sites.
The approach to the treatment of the site has been approved by both the Environment Agency and the Environmental Health Department of the London Borough of Greenwich. It is also consistent with government policy on contaminated land and its commitment to the "suitable for use" approach as part of a sustainable development strategy.