HC Deb 18 March 1986 vol 94 cc92-3W
Dr. Roger Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make available details of finances provided by his Department for research and development into methods of the disposal by land-filling of hazardous wastes, in each year since 1980; and if he will list the recipients of such moneys.

Mr. Waldegrave

The funding of research by my Department on the disposal of household and industrial wastes by land-filling since 1980 is as follows:—

£'000
1980–81 398
1981–82 521
1982–83 746
1983–84 670
1984–85 592
1985–86 628

Work on hazardous waste is included in these totals. The nature of most of the research contracts does not allow separate identification of work on hazardous wastes.

The recipients of the funding were:—

  • British Geological Survey
  • Water Research Centre
  • AERE—Harwell
  • Aspinwall and Company
  • Biotechnics Limited
  • M. J. Carter Associates
  • P. P. C. Consultant Services Limited
  • Amey Roadstone Corporation
  • Essex County Council
  • Leicester County Council
  • Suffolk County Council
  • Wrexham Maelor Borough Council
  • British Steel Corporation
  • National Physical Laboratory
  • Essex University

Dr. Roger Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make available details of finance provided by his Department for research and development into methods recognised as possible alternatives to landfill hazardous waste disposal in each year since 1980; and if he will list the recipients of such money, method by method.

Mr. Waldegrave

My Department has provided the following funds since 1980 for research and development into possible alternatives to land-filling of hazardous wastes.

Year £ '000
1980–81 27
1981–82 183
1982–83 225
1983–84 213
1984–85 186
1985–86 190

The recipients of the funding were:

  • Centre for Applied Microbiology Research—Porton
  • Waste Research Unit—Harwell
  • Imperial College
  • Dames & Moore Ltd.

Dr. Roger Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the total moneys spent by (a) central Government and (b) waste disposal authorities in England and Wales on the post-operative care and rehabilitation of hazardous waste land-fill sites.

Mr. Waldegrave

I regret that this information is not readily available. My Department does not keep a record of the amounts of money spent by waste disposal authorities on the post-operative care and rehabilitation of hazardous waste land-fill sites. Central Government expenditure in England for this purpose comes under my Department's allocation to derelict land reclamation, currently at £82 million; only a very small proportion of this total is likely to be allocated specifically to hazardous waste land-fill sites.