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Chemical, Biological, Radiological or Nuclear (CBRN)

Defra: Strategic National Guidance - The decontamination of the open environment exposed to CBRN substances or material

1. Introduction

1.1. This guidance has been written to help local authorities and others in England and Wales develop common strategies for decontaminating urban and rural environments following the release of chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) substances and return any affected areas, as far as practicable, to normal use.

1.2. Accidental releases, outbreaks of serious communicable diseases, contamination from overseas incidents, even domestic spillages or leakages can produce consequences equally as severe as a deliberate release of chemical biological or radiological substances. The measures required to deal with the consequences of any crisis featuring the accidental release of toxic substances or a major infectious disease outbreak would be similar to those required for a deliberate release. It is therefore appropriate to have generic guidance that can be adapted to any credible scenario.

1.3. This guidance builds on that previously issued by the Home Office directly to local authorities on the emergency response to the release of CBRN substances and also on the published guidance on the decontamination of people [PDF 45 pages 396KB]. It does not introduce any new burdens on local authorities.

1.4. A recovery strategy reflects a pattern of decisions that set the long-term direction of the environmental recovery process and determines its success. This guidance is intended to support and improve strategic decision-making at local level and underpin the generic major incident plans of local authorities.

1.5.Section 2 deals with the roles and responsibilities of organisations that will decide and implement the recovery strategy. Section 3 explains the strategic principles and priorities of recovery, how local factors may affect the recovery strategy, and the key outcomes that need to be achieved.

1.6.Section 4 discusses different recovery options for dealing with CBRN incidents using five simplified profiles of different types of incident that could affect the open environment. It provides local authority managers with a basic technical understanding of CBRN recovery approaches.