§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the safety of the open hearth incinerator at the Rechem plant at Pontypool as a method of toxic waste disposal; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Grist[holding answer Monday 15 January]: Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution has monitored the operation of the Rechem plant since it began operating. Independent assessments of the efficiency of destruction of one of the most stable groups of organic chemicals handled at the site, the PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), indicate that a minimum efficiency of 99.9999 per cent. was, and continues to be, achieved. No other toxic waste disposal site is known which exceeds this performance.
§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give details in parts per billion of the polychlorinated biphenyl levels in foliage readings taken close to the Rechem incinerator at Pontypool from 1979 to the latest available date.
§ Mr. Grist[holding answer 15 January 1990]: PCBs were detected in samples taken from the New Inn area as follows, values in parts per billion:
- 1986—Her Majesty's industrial air pollution inspectorate Five samples—11.1, 14.8, 19.0, 9.4 and 13.0.
- 1989—Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution Two samples—221 and 68.
- 1989—Welsh Office One sample—15
For the results of sampling commissioned by other agencies, in particular Torfaen borough council and Rechem plc, the hon. Gentleman should approach the organisations concerned.