Derry community worker Paul Hughes says the North needs a ‘Contaminated Land Regime’ now

Paul Hughes, from the Enagh Youth Forum, pointed out that a strict regime designed to deal with pollution and issues arising from historic contamination has been implemented in Britain but not here.

“Why has a ‘Contaminated Land Regime’ never been implemented here in the North? England, Scotland and Wales have it.

“There are provisions in the Waste & Contaminated Land NI 1997 Order for such a regime but one has never been implemented,” said Mr. Hughes.

According to the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) the ‘Contaminated Land Regime’, set out in Part Three of the Waste and Contaminated Land (Northern Ireland) Order 1997, has been enacted but is not yet in force in the North.

“This regime is very similar to that provided in Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 in England and Scotland since 2000 and in Wales since 2001.

“A timetable for implementation of the regime in Northern Ireland has not been agreed and further updates will follow in due course,” the department said.

Local Councils will be the primary regulators for the regime once it is eventually put in place.

“A ‘Contaminated Land Regime’ is long over due here,” said Mr. Hughes.