§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the policy of her Department is on the use of chrysotile asbestos in environmental projects for which her Department is responsible. [65054]
§ Mr. MeacherThe Asbestos Prohibitions Regulations 1985 were amended in 1999 to ban the marketing, supply and use of chrysotile from 24 November 1999, with a few limited exceptions where there is no substitute material. Directive I 999/77/EC requires the marketing, supply and use of chrysotile to be completely banned from 1 January 2005. Therefore all derogations/exemptions issued for chrysotile under the 1985 Regulations will cease to apply from that date, apart from a general exemption for research and analysis for all types of asbestos. This Department's policy on the use of chrysotile is in accordance with these legal requirements.