§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many refrigerators are awaiting disposal in Essex; and how much it will cost to dispose of them. [77154]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 31 October 2002]: The exact number of fridges being stored pending treatment in either waste collection authority or waste disposal authority at any one point in time are not held centrally. However, current estimates suggest there are more than 900,000 units awaiting treatment in the UK.
The initial annual UK cost is likely to be around £40 million. This will decrease as plant are commissioned, competition becomes established and more fridges that do not need treatment enter the waste stream.