The Environment Agency maintains registers of pollution sources, historical landfill sites, and contaminated land across England. There are approximately 20,000 historical landfill sites registered in England alone, plus thousands of active and closed pollution sources in the EA pollution inventory. Local authorities also maintain contaminated land registers under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
| Data source | Records | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| EA Pollution Inventory | ~5,000 sites | Active industrial pollution sources |
| Historical Landfill Sites | ~20,000 sites | Closed and open landfill sites |
| Part 2A Registers | Varies by council | Land formally determined as contaminated |
Search any postcode on HouseData to see a contamination proximity score. Our system checks the property's distance from known pollution sources, historical landfill sites, and (where available) local authority contaminated land registers. Properties are scored from 0 (no known contamination nearby) to 100 (high contamination proximity).
Proximity to contaminated land can affect property value, insurance costs, and mortgage eligibility. Environmental searches are a standard part of the conveyancing process, but HouseData provides an instant preliminary screening before you commission a formal environmental report.
Source: Environment Agency pollution inventory and historical landfill sites register. View all data sources. Read our methodology.