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Executive Summary

This paper sets out a prioritised work programme designed to address the main issues for managing contaminated land. Three initiatives are considered by the Ministry to be high priority.

The three high priority projects are:

  • nationally consistent methods and numbers that protect human health, delivered via a standard and guidance

  • nationally consistent land-use and subdivision rules, possibly delivered via a standard

  • continued advocacy of the Contaminated Sites Remediation Fund (hereafter referred to as the Fund).

These projects have been graded by submitters as having a high importance, help to address the main issues, and while some projects are complex they are all considered achievable.

A summary of the work programme is set out in Table 1, which has been confirmed after extensive consultation. Submitters largely supported the work programme and the priorities proposed in the discussion paper. As a result the Ministry’s work programme is reasonably similar to that originally proposed. The main change is the addition of a project that promotes, or requires (through a standard), nationally consistent land-use and subdivision controls where they relate to contaminated land.

Table 1: Priorities for the contaminated land work programme

Initiative

Priority

  1. Develop nationally consistent methods for deriving soil contaminant levels and numbers

  2. Develop nationally consistent land-use and subdivision rules

  3. Expand the Contaminated Sites Remediation Fund

  4. Develop roles and responsibilities guidance for local government

  5. Assist the setting up of good systems to manage information

  6. Require tracking of contaminated soil and waste using WasteTRACK

  7. Investigate and recommend options for addressing liability barriers

  8. Collect national information

  9. Develop new guidance, and review and revise the existing national set

  10. Encourage and support an accredited practitioners scheme

  11. Develop new guidance, and review and revise the existing national set

  12. Encourage and support an accredited practitioners scheme

High

  1. Develop roles and responsibilities guidance for local government

  2. Assist the setting up of good systems to manage information

  3. Require tracking of contaminated soil and waste using WasteTRACK

  4. Investigate and recommend options for addressing liability barriers

  5. Collect national information

  6. Develop new guidance, and review and revise the existing national set

  7. Encourage and support an accredited practitioners scheme

Medium

  1. Develop new guidance, and review and revise the existing national set

  2. Encourage and support an accredited practitioners scheme

Low

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