Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Related legal acts

Key definition

Environment definition

What does Environment mean? In legal practice, environment refers to the natural media and the living systems potentially affected by a project, operation or emission. UK environmental legislation commonly defines it as including air, water and land, and any living organisms (including humans) and ecosystems supported by those media. Similar formulations are used across England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and in Irish environmental legislation; exact wording varies by statute and context, but usage is broadly consistent. Where a regime provides a definition, courts apply that text; where it does not, the term carries its ordinary meaning. The concept sets the scope of regulatory...

Environmental liabilities and insurance for contractors and consultants: CPL, COPS and OCIP programmes (England and Wales)

Published by a LexisNexis Environment expert

Practice notes

Environmental insurance provides a practical route to managing environmental risks that stem from work undertaken by contractors and consultants. For general guidance on environmental insurance, refer to the following Practice Notes:

Environmental insurance—when is it needed?
Environmental insurance—extent of coverage
Environmental insurance—types
Environmental insurance—advantages and disadvantages

Scope of activity

For the purposes of this note, contractors and consultants are parties engaged to deliver work on a client’s behalf. Contractors typically carry out the works, while consultants may undertake design or investigative tasks. Although these activities are relevant to contaminated land consultants and contractors, the potential scope is much wider, including:

architects who may produce a design for fuel storage
a foundation and earthworks contractor who may disturb soils, and
internal fix contractors who may handle chemicals (even glue) in confined spaces

Potential environmental liabilities associated with contracted and consulting works

Potential environmental liabilities that may be associated with contractors or consultants include:

pollution brought onto a construction site (ie a fuel bowser that spills)
existing pollution aggravated by the contractor (ie through introducing new materials that may mobilise contamination, or...

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Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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