Review of the code of practice for the sustainable use of soils on construction

Healthy soil underpins a range of environmental, economic and societal benefits, including biodiversity, carbon storage and flood mitigation. However, soil degradation, caused by poor soil management or inappropriate land use, can reduce the ability of soil to perform these vital functions. Soil degradation in England and Wales costs between £0.9bn and £1.4bn a year, 39% of which is due to compaction and 12% erosion1. Soil health in the urban environment can be significantly impacted by activities associated with construction. For example, soil loss or sealing (e.g. by tarmac, concrete, stone), compaction and contamination which can all prevent soil and its inherent ecosystems from functioning. There are linkages between the resultant poor functioning of green infrastructure and public health. Poor urban soil health can be addressed through better use and management of existing soil and soil affected by new developments. Soils from construction sites form a large component of landfills, with the disposal of over 29 million tonnes in 2018 in the UK (58% of the tonnage received1). The 25 Year Environment Plan (25YEP) sets out the Government's commitment to have all soils sustainably managed by 2030. It also sets out Government's ambitions to reduce pollution, manage exposure to chemicals, ensuring clean and plentiful water, reducing the risks of harm from environmental hazards, improving health and well-being, and mitigating and adapting to climate change. The Construction Code of Practice for the Sustainable Use of Soils on Construction Sites (the Soil Construction Code), published in 2009, was the first official guidance related to good soil management during construction projects in order to protect the finite soil resource. A commitment was made to review the Soil Construction Code in 2012, but the Code has not been updated since its publication.

The code outlines the adverse effects construction has on soil health and risks to the soil resource, including:

• Covering soil with impermeable materials, preventing drainage and damaging soil structure;
• Compacting soil using heavy machinery and storage of construction materials;
• Reducing soil quality, for example by mixing top soil and subsoil;
• Loss of soil resources It also provides an overview of other relevant legislation and guidance available at that time but does not reflect recent updates and changes in policy that have been implemented since its publication. A review is necessary to ensure these are fully considered and that the aims of the 25 Year Environment Plan are reflected. Additionally, in the last 12 months there have been several soil related initiatives developed by the private sector that impact the construction industry which may also need to be reflected within the code such as:
• Use of digital platforms to share key information. This has been particularly effective in the CL:AIRE Definition of Waste Code of Practice (DoWCoP) online registration system;
• Regional