§ Mr. Allan RobertsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to support the introduction of rules to control levels of dieldrin in fish, in line with proposals supported by the European Community.
§ Mr. Moynihan[holding answer 31 October 1988]: The European Community adopted a directive in June setting limit values and quality objectives for discharges to water of dieldrin and related substances. The directive sets water quality standards for these substances in order to protect aquatic life, and provides that concentrations in fish and other aquatic life should not increase over time. It will come into effect on 1 January 1989.
Dieldrin is a highly persistent pesticide. In the United Kingdom most of the dieldrin remaining in the aquatic 563W environment derives from past use and levels can therefore be expected gradually to decline. None the less, the Government have recently announced that the few remaining authorised agricultural uses of dieldrin will be phased out. All approvals for the use of products containing dieldrin will cease after 30 March 1989. This will ensure that further amounts of the substance do not reach the aquatic environment as a result of spillages or misuse.