Chlorofluorocarbons (Hansard, 22 February 1989)

§ 25. Mr. McCrindle
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress he can report on the reduction of use of chlorofluorocarbons; and if he will estimate the likely effect on the environment.

§ Mr. Thurnham
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the outcome to date of the proposals to deal with pollution from chlorofluorocarbons.

§ Mr. Ridley
All sectors of British industry are being encouraged to reduce their chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and halons by at least 85 per cent. by the turn of the century by using alternatives, substitutes or adopting good housekeeping practices. The action of the aerosol industry alone to phase out non-essential uses of CFCs will halve total United Kingdom consumption by the end of the year. Action by the United Kingdom alone is not enough and a major objective of the "Saving the Ozone Layer" London conference, which I shall chair in March, is to persuade more countries to sign up to the Montreal protocol.

§ 83. Mr. Wallace
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Department proposes to issue advice to owners of domestic appliances which contain chlorofluorocarbons who wish to ensure that chlorofluorocarbons are not released into the atmosphere.

§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
As noted in the Government's reply to the first report from the Environment Committee, Session 1987–88, HC 270–1—Air Pollution—published in 683W December 1988 (Cm. 552) officials of the Department of the Environment and the Department of Trade and Industry are discussing the question of recovery and recycling/destruction of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in redundant appliances. The Government plan to develop advice in the light of these discussions.

§ Mr. Matthew Taylor
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received concerning the use of chlorofluorocarbon in the manufacture of plastic forms of building insulation; and whether he has any evidence that manufacturers have developed alternatives to these.

§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
We have recently received a Friends of the Earth report, "Safe as Houses", about the use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in the insulation of buildings.
The manufacturers of rigid polyurethane foams are developing materials which use less CFCs as blowing agents. They are also implementing measures to reduce wastage of CFCs, and evaluating ozone-friendly alternatives which should become available during the 1990s, subject to satisfactory toxicological testing. United Kingdom manufacturers of extruded polystyrene insulation board have agreed to introduce this year products which do not contain the CFCs controlled by the Montreal protocol, and to phase out products containing these substances by mid-1990.