§ Mr. LevittTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will make a statement on the disposal of paper pulp on agricultural land; [43638]
(2) how many breaches of regulations in respect of the disposal of paper pulp on agricultural land there have been in the last three years; and what action was taken against those responsible; [43640]
(3) what assessment he has made of the environmental risks associated with the disposal of paper pulp on agricultural land. [43639]
§ Angela EagleA statement of our views on the landspreading of waste paper pulp was made during an Adjournment Debate on 13 March 1998.Official Report, columns 926–930.
Most landspreading of waste is carried out under the terms of the exemption from waste management licensing in paragraph 7 of schedule 3 to the Waste Management Licensing Regulations 1994. We have given a commitment to review this exemption in the light of the findings of the research project to which I referred on 13 March. That research project was completed on 30 April and copies of the report on the "Investigation Of The Criteria For, And Guidance On, The Landspreading Of Industrial Waste" have been placed in the Library of the House. The report's findings are now under consideration by my Department and the Environment Agency. On conclusion of this consideration, our proposals to revise the current exemption will be the subject of a public consultation exercise.