§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many incinerators in the United Kingdom have emitted levels of dioxins above the statutory level set by his Department in each of the past 10 years. [52827]
§ Mr. MeacherThere has been a statutory emission limit for dioxins only since January 1998 when a direction was issued by my Department to the Environment Agency in relation to hazardous waste incinerators so as to implement the EU Hazardous Waste Incineration Directive. However, the Environment Agency and its predecessor body (HM Inspectorate of Pollution) have set their own dioxin limits in authorisations for certain incinerators in England and Wales for several years. Information from the Environment Agency is that the statutory emission limit has not been exceeded at any incinerator to which it applies, and that their own/HMIP' s limits have been exceeded at two incinerators.