HC Deb 13 June 2000 vol 351 cc542-4W
23. Mr. Gill

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received concerning the waste incineration directive. [124012]

Mr. Meacher

Representations on a range of different aspects of the proposed Directive have been received from various environmental and rural organisations, industry representatives and individuals. As the hon. Member may be aware, recent interest has been focused on the implications of the proposal for operators of small-scale animal carcase incinerators.

Mr. Green

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment. Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the number of UK incinerators that fail to meet the terms of the EU Waste Incineration Directive. [125305]

Mr. Hill

[holding answer 9 June 2000]The proposed waste incineration directive, the precise scope of which is yet to be finalised, requires upgrading of incineration plant to the specified standards within five years of its adoption. The consultants Entec UK Ltd. undertook a cost-benefit analysis of the proposed directive to underpin a regulatory and environmental impact assessment, and their report (copies of which are in the House Library) largely identified numbers of incinerators in different sectors, although subsequently we have received information that the report significantly underestimated the number of animal carcase incinerators. The National Farmers Union have suggested there are some 3,000 on-farm small scale animal carcase incinerators.

Mr. Green

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the organisations he has consulted over the EU Waste Incineration Directive. [125329]

Mr. Hill

[holding answer 9 June 2000]Copies of the various drafts of the proposed directive and the cost-benefit analyses DETR commissioned from Entec UK Ltd. were distributed as they arose to the trade representative organisations listed over the period since 1994, as well as to relevant Government Departments and environmental organisations. Trade representative organisations were also invited to meetings with DETR on the following dates: 27 April 1994, 25 September 1997 and 6 October 1998.

  • Association of Drum Manufacturers
  • Association of Independent Electricity Producers
  • Association of Electrical Machinery Trades
  • British Scrap Federation
  • British Cement Association
  • British Recovered Paper Association
  • British Biogen
  • British Foundries Association
  • British Plastics Federation
  • Chemical Industries Association
  • Combined Heat and Power Association
  • Combustion Engineering Association
  • Confederation of British Industry
  • Electricity Association
  • Energy from Waste Association
  • Environmental Services Association
  • Environmental Engineering Group, Open University
  • Federation of Small Businesses
  • Food and Drink Federation
  • Institute of Waste Management
  • Licensed Animal Slaughterers and Salvage Association
    • 544W
  • National Farmers Union
  • National Association of Waste Disposal Officers
  • Oil Recycling Association
  • Paper Federation of Great Britain
  • Pet Food Manufacturers' Association
  • Photographic Wastes Management Association
  • Quarry Products Association
  • Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Ltd.
  • TRADA Technology Ltd.
  • UK Renderers Association Ltd.
  • UK Steel Association
  • United Kingdom Agricultural Supply Trade Association
  • Waste Processing Association
  • Water UK
  • Wood Panel Industries Federation.

Mr. Green

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the effect of the EU Waste Incineration Directive on the disposal of animal carcases in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [125306]

Mr. Hill

[holding answer 9 June 2000]No assessment has been made of the effect of the proposed waste incineration directive on options for disposing of animal carcases in the UK. The Waste Strategy 2000, published on 25 May, indicates that wastes should be managed in accordance with the Best Practicable Environmental Option, and should be disposed of as close to the point of production as possible, consistent with the need for effective environmental controls.