Technical guidelines on the capping and restoration of landfills have been issued by the Environment Agency for England. Developed by environmental consultancy SLR on behalf of the Agency, they offer the only official guidance in relation to landfill restoration.

The document is aimed at waste planning authorities, EA staff, the waste management industry and consultancies, and provides information on best practice in the design, implementation and aftercare of capping and restoration schemes.

"Its predecessor - Waste Management Paper 26E - was produced in 1997 as a draft and has never been formally adopted by the EA," said Jeremy Smith, technical director at SLR. "The only official guidance is therefore Mineral Planning Guidance note (MPG7) which does not deal with many of the specific issues raised by landfills."

The guidelines have gone out to external consultation and comments should be directed to the Environment Agency by April 15. Drafts have already been reviewed by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Planning Officers‘‘ Society as it is recognised that capping and restoration spans PPC licensing and planning systems. When the drafts are finalised, they will be used as the definitive guide for landfill sites across the UK.

The Landfill Regulations include requirements affecting the capping and, to a lesser extent, the restoration of landfills. This document provides technical guidance on the design, implementation and aftercare of capping and restoration schemes for landfill sites in accordance with:

· the implications of the EU Landfill Directive (99/31/EC) Domestic planning legislation and associated guidance
· the consultation exercise for this document will run until 15 April 2005