Guidance

Land contamination risk management (LCRM)

How to assess and manage the risks from historic land contamination.

• From: Environment Agency
• Published: 8 October 2020
• Last updated: 12 June 2025
  Show all updates

  1. 12 June 2025

     This guidance now applies to Scotland as well, with a link to a note on the Scottish Environment Protection Agency website on its use in Scotland. Added additional information on use of the guidance in Northern Ireland and Wales. Updated the section ‘Dealing with new pollution to soil and groundwater’ to make it clearer when you can and cannot use LCRM for a pollution incident. Revised the 'competent person' section. Clarified use of the word ‘regulator’. Replaced the term ‘existing contamination’ with ‘historic contamination’. Revised and improved sections on planning and Part 2A Contaminated land. Clarified that rapid measurement techniques (RMT) can be used for all stages of LCRM where an intrusive investigation is required provided the requirements of the RMT protocol and MCERTS are met.

  2. 20 July 2023

     The updates include: recommending the use of an accredited spill responder for new pollution incidents in the Competent person section; adding more information on dealing with pollution incidents; clarification on when you can use LCRM for new pollution; information on the importance of taking climate change into account; confirmation that Natural Resources Wales support the use of the NQMS and fixes to broken links.

  3. 19 April 2021

     Updated the section on chemical testing of soils (in LCRM: Stage 1 risk assessment) with a new protocol for using rapid measurement techniques. Added a new section on the CL:AIRE gas protection verification accreditation scheme. Added a reference to Natural Resources Wales who have now adopted the guidance.

  4. 8 October 2020

     First published.

Documents

LCRM: Before you start

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LCRM: Stage 1 risk assessment

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LCRM: Stage 2 options appraisal

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LCRM: Stage 3 remediation and verification

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Details

The Environment Agency, Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA), Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and Natural Resources Wales expect you to follow LCRM if you are managing the risks from historic land contamination.

For Northern Ireland, you must also refer to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs ‘Practice guide – redeveloping land affected by contamination’.

For Scotland, you must refer to:

• SEPA’s contaminated land guidance
• the information note on the use of land contamination risk management (LCRM) guidance in Scotland

For Wales you must also follow land contamination guidance on the Natural Resources Wales website to meet any different requirements.

Local authorities and other regulators may also provide additional guidance.