§ Mr. SayeedTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) which body carried out the 1997 study into dioxin levels in ash from the Edmonton incinerator; [20760]
269W(2) what was the basis on which the 1997 analysis of ash from the Edmonton incinerator showed dioxin levels close to background levels. [20761]
§ Mr. MeacherI am not aware of any formal study carried out in 1997 on dioxin levels in ash from the Edmonton incinerator. However, under section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, operators of such plant must provide sufficient information to those managing waste ash to ensure appropriate disposal. From analyses carried out for the operators, there is data showing dioxin levels in electrostatic precipitator ash from the Edmonton incinerator.
Industry figures for dioxins in ash entering the construction market in 2000 (20–50 ng/Kg I-TEQ) indicated levels close to those found in normal urban soils, which 1999 AEAT figures show to be 4.9–87 ng/Kg I-TEQ, with a mean of 28 ng/Kg I-TEQ. Analysis for the industry is carried out by independent laboratories.