EIR2022/00180: Recorded Landfill Site ref 2883 (Our ref: IDA 286558)
Case reference EIR2022/00180
Published 28 July 2022
Request
Request Received: 19 May 2022
RE: Rothay Holme Industrial Unit, AMBLESIDE, LA22 0SW
I am undertaking some environmental due diligence checks for the above referenced Site (reference 5 on the plan). I was hoping you could answer the following questions (1-5) with reference to the aforementioned Site and include any other details you may hold regarding the landfill which potentially encroaches the Site and is registered under Reference BGS Recorded Landfill 2883 'Council depot'.
1. What information do you hold about the operation of the landfill(s), including the dates of operation, operators and construction design of the landfill, including how the landfill was completed? (please provide as much information as possible)
2. Please provide information relating to the nature and depth of fill materials.
3. What information do you hold relating to the contamination status of the landfill, including information from soil, gas and groundwater investigations? Is the landfill still known to be producing gas, and if so, have surrounding properties been affected by gas migration?
4. Do you have any information or concerns regarding groundwater quality in the vicinity of the Site and whether it has been adversely affected by leachate?
5. Do you have any information or concerns regarding surface water quality in the vicinity of the Site and whether it has been adversely affected by leachate?
Response
Response Sent: 17 June 2022
Our ref: IDA 286558
Thank you for your request for information, made under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, concerning the landfill site at Rothay Holme Industrial Unit. In answer to your questions:
1. What information do you hold about the operation of the landfill(s), including the dates of operation, operators and construction design of the landfill, including how the landfill was completed? (please provide as much information as possible)
2. Please provide information relating to the nature and depth of fill materials.
Please find attached a copy of the landfill record reference 2883. This is all of the information that BGS holds on this landfill site. We would recommend contacting the relevant local council for any further information on landfill sites.
3. What information do you hold relating to the contamination status of the landfill, including information from soil, gas and groundwater investigations? Is the landfill still known to be producing gas, and if so, have surrounding properties been affected by gas migration?
BGS holds no information in the scope of this question so exception 12(4)(a) 'Information not held', applies.
4. Do you have any information or concerns regarding groundwater quality in the vicinity of the Site and whether it has been adversely affected by leachate?
There are two water borehole sites within 500 m, in the same geology. One has no water quality data (NY30SE39) and the other has some (NY30SE7/NY30SE31). This data is freely available on the GeoIndex however these sites are mapped in different fault blocks to the council depot. There are also site investigation records nearby (also shown on the GeoIndex) and it is possible that they may contain some chemical data. If you would like to order any site investigation reports please note reference numbers from the GeoIndex then email enquiries@bgs.ac.uk to request them through the GeoRecords service. More recent data accessions can be searched on the deposited data portal https://webapps.bgs.ac.uk/services/ngdc/accessions/index.html by drawing a box around your area of interest on the map.
5. Do you have any information or concerns regarding surface water quality in the vicinity of the Site and whether it has been adversely affected by leachate?
BGS does not hold records on surface water which is the remit of the Environment Agency and therefore exception 12(4)(a) 'Information not held', applies. The Environment Agency is also responsible for the regulation of landfill discharges.
The Environmental Information Regulations are a route through which you can request information held by BGS, but the parts of questions 4 and 5 concerning whether we have any concerns would require a hydrogeologist with specialist expertise to research the site and interpret the records and give their opinion. This part of your request is therefore information that BGS does not currently hold and exemption 12(4)(a) 'Information not held' applies.
If you have any queries regarding our response or you are unhappy with the outcome of your request and wish to seek an internal review of the decision, please contact:
Head of Information Governance
Email: foi@ukri.org or infogovernance@ukri.org
Please quote the reference number above in any future communications.
If you are still not content with the outcome of the internal review, you may apply to refer the matter to the Information Commissioner for a decision. Generally, the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the review procedure provided by UKRI. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:http://www.ico.gov.uk/
If you wish to raise a complaint regarding the service you have received or the conduct of any UKRI staff in relation to your request, please see UKRI's complaints policy: https://www.ukri.org/about-us/policies-and-standards/complaints-policy/
Kind regards
The BGS Enquiries Service
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