§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what inquiries the Government's Building Research Establishment has made into the use of lindane, gamma BHC or gamma HCH; and what were the results. [15498]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordThe Building Research Establishment has for a number of years conducted research into many aspects of the behaviour, fate and efficacy of lindane when used as a wood preservative. The results of much of this research have been published, either in professional journals or in the research establishment's publications. Some information on the non-agricultural uses of lindane appeared in the review which was published in December 1992—"Evaluation on Gamma HCH (Lindane II; Evaluation No. 64)", a copy of which is lodged in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the extent of pollution of the North sea by lindane, gamma HCH, gamma BHC or comparable pesticide products; and if he will make a statement. [15512]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordInformation on the North sea distribution of organochlorines such as lindane—gamma HCH—is given in the 1993 "Quality Status Report on the North Sea", with more detailed information in six sub-regional reports produced by the UK. Copies of these reports are in the Library of the House. The highest concentrations of lindane in North sea waters were found in the southern North sea and German bight. Monitoring by UK fisheries departments, reflected in the quality status report, has found little indication of serious organochlorine contamination of fish tissue in our North sea estuaries. Similarly, concentrations of organochlorines in marine mammals stranded on the UK North sea coast are generally low.
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the similarities between DDT and lindane or gamma hexachlorocyclohexane. [15511]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordBoth lindane and DDT are organochlorine insecticides. However, lindane is less persistent than other organochlorine pesticides and, as it is excreted rapidly from mammals, has less potential to accumulate in man or wild animals.
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the(a) household, (b) garden, greenhouse or park and (c) pet care products in which lindane or gamma hexachlorocyclohexane are used. [15508]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordThis information is already in the public domain for all products containing lindane registered by the Health and Safety Executive or the pesticides safety directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and all these products must indicate that they contain lindane. For products registered up to October 1994, this information is listed in "Pesticides 1995, Reference Book 500"—the Blue Book—a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. Any products containing lindane registered since then are listed in the monthly "Pesticides Register" which is produced by the Health and Safety Executive and464W pesticides safety directorate and published by HMSO. I understand that there are no pet care products containing lindane licensed in the UK at present.
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to ban the use of lindane, gamma HCH, and gamma BHC in wood preservatives. [15509]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordUnder the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985, Ministers established an independent committee, the Advisory Committee on Pesticides, to provide them with advice on the approval of pesticides. Current policy on the approval of lindane is based on the advice of this committee. In 1992, the Advisory Committee on Pesticides considered a substantial body of evidence on the toxicology and behaviour of lindane when it reviewed its use as a non-agricultural pesticide, including as a wood preservative. The advisory committee recommended that approvals should continue as there was no evidence of an unacceptable risk to human health from use of lindane as a wood preservative. The Ministers of the pesticide approving Departments accepted these recommendations.
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice is issued by the Building Research Establishment in respect of the number of hours people should stay out of enclosed areas sprayed with lindane, gamma BHC or gamma HCH; what information he has to the comparable advice given to customers by the producers of this product; and if he will make a statement. [15503].
§ Sir Paul BeresfordGuidance on re-entry periods for occupants of buildings treated with wood preservatives appears on product labels. As such it is a statutory condition for the approval of use of a product, recommended by the Advisory Committee on Pesticides and agreed by Ministers. In the case of lindane, unprotected persons and animals should not re-enter treated buildings for a minimum period of 48 hours and only then if the timber is dry.
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice he is giving to local authorities who use lindane fumers with insecticide smoke to clear houses of insects and other pests. [15504]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordAdequate requirements and advice are already in place. Work with lindane is covered by the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1994—COSHH. COSHH requires employers to inform, instruct and train their employees about: the nature of the substances they work with; the risks created by exposure to those substances and the precautions to be taken. Under the provisions of the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986, conditions of approval and instructions for use appear on lindane pesticide products.
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the implications of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the use of lindane in lofts inhabited by bats. [15505]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordBats are protected animals under schedule 6 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. All wood preservatives containing lindane carry the statement that: before treating any structure used by bats, English Nature, Scottish Natural Heritage or the Country Council for Wales should be consulted. The conservation bodies have lists of products which are acceptable for use in 465W roosts; products containing lindane are not recommended for this purpose.