Ozone-destroying Substances (Hansard, 9 November 1992)

§ Mr. Chris Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will provide details from the maintenance and servicing record of the quantity and type of ozone—destroying chemicals used annually in his Department's refrigeration and air conditioning equipment for servicing and in leakages; and what proportion is removed for recycling;
(2) how many chlorofluorocarbon and hydrochlorofluorocarbon installations are contained within his Department's buildings;
(3) what quantity of HCFC 22 is purchased by his Department from ICI per annum;
(4) what the latest available figures are for his 3Department's total purchase of chlorofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons;
(5) how many chlorofluorocarbon domestic fridges are contained within his Department's buildings;
(6) what is the quantity of ozone-depleting substances recycled within his Department and returned to the manufacturer.

§ Mr. Peter Lloyd
This information is not recorded centrally.

§ Mr. Chris Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) which current uses of ozone-depleting chemicals by his Department are considered essential;
(2) if he will given an undertaking to purchase only ozone-friendly fridges that do not contain CFCs or HCFCs for his Department.

§ Mr. Peter Lloyd
We are currently reviewing our policy on the use of such chemicals and of goods containing them.

§ Mr. Chris Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what action has been taken to ensure that ozone-destroying substances consumed by his Department are identified as controlled wastes when they are no longer in use;
(2) what measures have been taken to ensure that any ozone-destroying substances in use by his Department identified as controlled waste under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 do not reach the atmosphere;
(3) what proportion of his Department's consumption of ozone-depleting substances becomes controlled waste in terms of section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

§ Mr. Peter Lloyd
Most waste, of whatever nature, from Home Office premises is controlled waste under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Section 34 of the Act (the duty of care) which came into force on 1 April 1992 requires any person subject to the duty who has controlled waste to take reasonable steps to prevent its illegal management. There is no Crown immunity under the Act, and the Department takes care to ensure that controlled waste leaving its possession is consigned only to authorised persons for treatment or disposal. Information is not 625W recorded centrally about the Department's use of ozone-depleting substances or the disposal of controlled waste.

§ Mr. Chris Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many refrigeration and air conditioning systems in his Department are equipped with automatic leak detection systems.

§ Mr. Peter Lloyd
The prison service's five major vegetable cold stores all have leak detection systems, and 26 air-conditioned vehicles operated by the prison service also have leak detection systems. Only one other unit, at the Emergency Planning College. is known to have such a system.

§ Mr. Chris Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what date his Department's use of ozone-depleting chemicals will conform to EC regulations on limits on these chemicals.

§ Mr. Peter Lloyd
Both the Montreal protocol and EC regulations seek to control the production but not the use of substances which deplete the ozone layer. However, the Department is playing its part in helping to phase out these substances by not purchasing or using them unless no suitable alternative is available.

§ Mr. Chris Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many catastrophic leaks of ozone-depleting substances have occurred within his Department's buildings in the past five years.

§ Mr. Peter Lloyd
None.

§ Mr. Chris Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what targets have been set for the recycling of ozone-depleting chemicals within his Department's buildings.

§ Mr. Peter Lloyd
None.

§ Mr. Chris Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance has been sought and received on alternatives or substitutes to the ozone-destroying chemicals in use by his Department.

§ Mr. Peter Lloyd
My Department adheres to the guidance and specifications issued by the DOE and PSA, and pays close attention to relevant published research findings.

§ Mr. Chris Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding has been allocated or spent to specifically deal with measures to reduce his Department's consumption of ozone-depleting substances.

§ Mr. Peter Lloyd
Measures to reduce consumption of ozone-depleting substances are taken as part of the Department's general maintenance programme, and the costs involved are not separately identifiable.

§ Mr. Chris Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how his departmental green Minister has promoted protection of the ozone layer with specific policy measures; and which possible measures have been considered and rejected, and on what grounds.

§ Mr. Peter Lloyd
My right hon. and learned Friend has signed the declaration of commitment to responsible626W energy management on behalf of the Department; has set in hand a review of the Department's policy on the purchase of ozone-depleting chemicals and of goods manufactured with these substances; and is supervising the development of a green housekeeping strategy for the Department, in accordance with the commitments given in the 1990 White Paper, "This Common Inheritance" (Cm 1200), and subsequent White Papers.