There has been a landfill operating at Rainham for the last 150 years although until then Rainham Marshes had remained unspoilt, being mainly used for grazing sheep. The landscape itself is ancient with a petrified Neolithic forest being visible at low-tide on the shoreline.

Ash from London’s domestic fires was exported to Rainham using the barges that brought hay into the city for horses, which were the principle means of transport at that time. The ash tip at Rainham grew until it occupied a substantial area. At the beginning of the 20th century the War Department purchased the Marshes for training (1906) and Murex purchased land for a smelting plant (1909). 

When Veolia took over the 177 hectare landfill in 1980, the environment was contaminated and polluted - a situation which has been reversed due to careful management and stringent controls including the efficient management of leachate, decontaminating the site surroundings, eliminating fly tipping, removing car breakers and providing a security building and traffic-calming speed bumps. In addition a new access road bordered by a footpath gives access to the adjacent Rainham Marshes Site of Special Scientific Interest. To date, Veolia has invested £17 million in the infrastructure at the Rainham site.  

Each year, Veolia restores an area the size of 15 football pitches using low-nutrient soils to encourage the diversity of self-sown grasses and wild flowers that provide suitable habitats for species such as skylark and brown hare. By 2018 the entire site will be restored for nature conservation and controlled public access. The conservation park will include the restored landfill, the adjacent RSPB reserve and the Rainham Marshes.