§ 2.45 p.m.
§ Lord Campbell of Croy asked Her Majesty's Government:
§ What arrangements are being made in the United Kingdom for the safe disposal of chlorofluorocarbons in refrigerators discarded after use.
394§ Lord StrathclydeMy Lords, the Government are aware of only one nationwide retailer of domestic refrigerators offering a collection and recycling service. Others are being encouraged to do the same. However, recycling services are provided by both the UK CFC manufacturers and by some refrigerator companies, and these are widely used for commercial and industrial refrigerators. The Warren Spring laboratory is also undertaking a study of the topic.
Lord Campbell of CroyMy Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend for that encouraging reply. However, will the Government encourage the establishment of a complete system throughout the country under which retired refrigerators would not be broken up, thereby releasing CFCs into the atmosphere? Instead, could not those CFCs be recycled or safely disposed of as necessary action to protect the ozone layer?
§ Lord StrathclydeMy Lords, there are some technical problems in recovering CFCs from refrigeration coolant material; but the Government are in close contact with the electrical industry to see what further progress can be made.
§ Baroness Robson of KiddingtonMy Lords, does the Minister recognise that 34,000 tonnes of CFCs are likely to be released into the atmosphere over the next 10 years? In view of the Prime Minister's concern about the subject, what resources are the Government prepared to put in to solve that problem?
§ Lord StrathclydeMy Lords, I think that we should put the problem into perspective. It is only 3 per cent. of the total. Of that, only 1 per cent. of the UK total could be easily recoverable. The Government's record on initiatives to help industiy to recover CFCs is very good.
The Earl of HalsburyMy Lords, should it not be a statutory requirement that any CFC-employing refrigerator marketed after a certain vesting date should be approved by an authority which certifies that it is of such a design that facilitates recycling rather than dispersal into the atmosphere? Should it not be an offence for anyone removing a refrigerator for resale, or whatever it may be, to fail to report it to the necessary authority?
§ Lord StrathclydeMy Lords, the industry itself is certainly looking into the idea of better design for recovery. At the moment there are no plans to make the matter a statutory offence.
§ Lord Williams of ElvelMy Lords, will the noble Lord tell us why the Government are so mealy-mouthed about the suggestion made by the noble Earl, Lord Halsbury? Should that not be a statutory requirement?
§ Lord StrathclydeMy Lords, at the moment the industry seems to be doing very well in bringing down the level of consumption of CFCs. At present, there is therefore no general requirement for there to be a statutory offence.
Lord WinstanleyMy Lords, if the Minister cannot respond more positively to the suggestion made by my noble friend Lady Robson regarding Government resources, perhaps I may ask him whether I am right in believing that one refrigeration firm, when supplying a new refrigerator, will at the same time make an allowance for the old one and undertake to dispose of it safely? If one firm can do that, would it not be helpful if all firms did it? Could the Government use their influence to bring that about?
§ Lord StrathclydeMy Lords, the noble Lord is quite right. The firm Bejam certainly runs a recycling service but I understand that all other United Kingdom based manufacturers—Electrolux, Hotpoint, LEC, Kelco and Norfrost—are committed to a programme of reduction. We shall see what they will do in the next few months.
§ Baroness NicolMy Lords, did I understand from the noble Lord's first reply to his noble friend that the free recovery scheme, which is operated by ICI among others, does not apply to domestic refrigerators? That was not quite clear. If it does apply, are not the Government able to stretch their apparently limitless budget for advertising to include advertising on this subject so that the public may be better informed about how to dispose of their own refrigerators?
§ Lord StrathclydeMy Lords, at the moment there does not seem to be a great problem with commercial refrigerators. There is a great deal of publicity within the industry about stopping the leakage of CFCs. As I have already said, we are looking closely at the situation on domestic refrigerators and discussing it with the industry.
§ Lord MolloyMy Lords, is the noble Lord prepared to consider submitting to his right honourable friend in another place the very same proposition that was put forward a moment ago by the noble Earl, Lord Halsbury?
§ Lord StrathclydeMy Lords, I shall certainly bring it to my right honourable friend's attention.
Lord Campbell of CroyMy Lords, will the Government do their best to inform the public that the insulating foam and the coolant in refrigerators are perfectly safe while they are sealed inside the refrigerator?
§ Lord StrathclydeMy Lords, I think that that information is generally readily available, but if my noble friend has evidence to the contrary, I am sure that we shall be able to look into it.