§ Sir Peter EmeryTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the dangers that can he caused by the discharge of an excessive level of sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere over England and Wales.
§ Mr. MoynihanThere is extensive literature on health and other effects of sulphur dioxide, a convenient summary of which is contained in WHO "Air Quality Guidelines for Europe," WHO regional publications, European series No. 23. The permitted level for SO2 in air is set by the EC directive 80/779/EEC.
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§ Sir Peter EmeryTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what information he has on the dangers that can be caused by the discharge of an excessive level of heavy metals into the atmosphere over England and Wales;
(2) what assessment is made by his Department of the level of heavy metals discharged into the atmosphere annually from the burning of fossil fuels by electricity generating stations in England and Wales; what are the levels for the remaining discharge of heavy metals; and what is treated as a safe level.
§ Mr. MoynihanThere is extensive literature on the health and environmental effects of excessive levels of heavy metals. In England and Wales Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution ensures that best practicable means are used to reduce emissions to the atmosphere from power stations and other scheduled works to safe levels set on the basis of the available scientific data. Current presumptive emission limits are given in appendix 7 of the industrial air pollution report for 1986, copies of which are in the Library of the House. Total emissions are not assessed as a matter of routine in the United Kingdom, but concentrations of a wide range of metals in the environment are regularly measured in both urban and rural areas. The results are reported in Department of the Environment "Statistical Bulletin (87) 1", copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House. For lead the permitted level in the air is set in the EC directive (82/884/EEC).
§ Sir Peter EmeryTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measurements are made by his Department to assess the emissions of sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere in England and Wales; and what comparable information he has for France, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Norway, Sweden and Finland over the years since 1980.
§ Mr. MoynihanEstimates of sulphur dioxide emissions are made from the quantity of fossil fuel used and of its sulphur content. The results are published annually in the Department of the Environment's "Digest of Environmental Protection and Water Statistics", copies of which are placed in the Library of the House. Details of the methods used are given in the Warren Spring laboratory report WSL. LR634 a copy of which will be placed in the Library of the House. In 1986 the executive body of the convention on long-range transboundary air pollution published a major review entitled "National strategies and policies for Air Pollution Abatement" which contains estimates of SO2 emissions provided by France, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Norway, Sweden and Finland for years since 1980. A copy of the report is in the Library of the House.