§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will implement a refrigerant recycling and reclaim policy covering all departmental equipment currently using chlorofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons; if he will publish targets for departmental reuse and recycling; if he will implement an equipment conversion and replacement programme for all departmental uses of CFCs and HCFCs; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GoodladThe Foreign and Commonwealth Office already has a policy on its use of ozone-depleting substances. It commits the Department to eliminating the use of such substances where they are non-essential and where acceptable alternatives offering value for money are available. It also stipulates that when such substances are replaced they should be recycled in products where no alternatives are available.
Further policy measures, including targets for the reuse and recycling of ozone-depleting substances, will be introduced following completion of an environmental audit of the Department now being carried out by our environmental management consultants.
§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will introduce a leakage prevention programme for all refrigeration and air conditioning equipment owned and operated by his Department; if he will publish targets for reductions in leakages; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GoodladThe Foreign and Commonwealth Office has already taken the necessary steps to prevent leakages2W of ozone-depleting substances by introducing a programme of regular inspection and servicing of refrigeration and air conditioning equipment. In the event that such equipment was no longer serviceable, or there was a risk of leakage, the refrigerants would he extracted and returned for recycling.