Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, , what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle safety risks associated with landfill sites.

It is important that waste is managed safely in a way which does not pose risks to people or the environment.

Operators of landfill sites in England are required by the Environmental Permitting (England & Wales) Regulations 2016 to hold an environmental permit. The regulatory framework in place is designed to serve operators and protect the local community.  Where poor performance does occur the Environment Agency has a range of powers to bring sites back into compliance and, where necessary, to take enforcement action against operators.

The Government also recognises the importance of managing land contamination, including from historic landfill sites, to protect human health and the environment. Under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, local authorities have a statutory duty to inspect their areas to identify contaminated land and require appropriate remediation where necessary. Defra supports local authorities in fulfilling their duties through the Contaminated Land Statutory Guidance, which sets out the legal framework for risk assessment and decision-making under Part 2A.