§ 29. Mrs. Kellett-Bowmanasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about progress in the development of biodegradable detergents.
§ The Secretary of State for the Environment (Mr. Peter Walker)Through a voluntary agreement with the Confederation of British Industry, synthetic detergents used for domestic purposes are generally more than 90 per cent. biodegradable. Biodegradable synthetic detergents have been developed, and are available, for use in industrial processes. I am hoping that by voluntary agreement we can speed up the change-over to their use in industry.
§ Mrs. Kellett-BowmanI thank my right hon. Friend for his reply, but will he try to get an agreement between the makers of detergents to reduce the foam content of their product which is so damaging to water courses, and will he reinforce any such agreement with a campaign to convince housewives that foam, while it may be good for morale, adds nothing to the washing power?
§ Mr. WalkerYes, but by voluntary agreement this country is in a better position than virtually any other country in the world on this problem. We are in advance of the standards being suggested in other countries. Voluntary agreement really has been a success in coping with what is, I agree, a very bad problem.