§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 21 May,Official Report columns 95–6, (1) which of the typical selection of identified landfill sites, where checks in respect of ground water quality have been or will be carried out, have a chalk base; [1509]
(2) if the part of Beddingham landfill site where carcases of cattle infected by BSE were disposed of was lined to prevent seepage into the chalk below; what other classes of waste have been permitted for disposal in that section of the site; and what monitoring of that section of site has been carried out subsequent to the disposal therein of the carcases referred to; [1510]
(3) if Beddingham landfill site is one of the typical selection of identified landfill sites where checks in respect of ground water quality have been or will be carried out. [1511]
§ Mr. Rooker[holding answer 2 June 1997]: The Environment Agency has responsibility for the safe regulation of landfill sites in England and Wales under Part II of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The Agency has advised that the Beddingham landfill site is licensed to accept industrial, commercial and household waste; there was no sub-division of the site to keep these different waste streams apart; and that the carcases landfilled there (fewer than 10) were deposited in an unlined area of the site with a chalk base.
The Environment Agency monitors ground water quality in the vicinity of licensed landfill sites to check for leachate contamination as part of their statutory duties. It is understood that there are ten boreholes at Beddingham where regular monitoring of groundwater is undertaken by the operators of the site.
The Agency has carried out a qualitative assessment of all the sites concerned taking into account the number of carcases buried, the degree of containment and the proximity of water sources. It has carried out a further more detailed quantitative assessment of a selection of sites. This includes a chalk based site but not Beddingham itself.
The Agency presented its quantitative assessment to the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee for comments. The Agency is preparing to publish the final results of the assessment very shortly. Copies will be placed in the Library of the House.