What is Environmental Damage?
The Environmental Liability Regulations 2008 define environmental damage under three categories:
- Damage to natural habitats and protected species – any damage that has significant adverse effects on reaching or maintaining the favourable conservation status of European designated habitats or species (i.e. those covered by the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) and Birds Directive (79/409/EEC)
- Damage which significantly adversely affects the ecological, chemical and/or quantitative status and/or ecological potential of waters covered in the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC).
- Contamination that creates a significant risk of human health being adversely affected as a result of the direct or indirect introduction in or under the land of substances, preparations, organisms or micro-organisms.