§ Mr Liddell-GraingerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what control she has over the operation of waste disposal plants. [93121]
§ Mr. MeacherThe Department controls the regulation of waste disposal and recovery sites through a licensing system that is set out in legislation. The Environment Agency must have regard to the legislative framework and to any statutory guidance provided by my Department when discharging its functions as the Government's regulator and when fulfilling the requirements of the European Directives on waste.
The operation of waste disposal plants is largely in the hands of the private sector. The Environment Agency prescribes the nature of the operations through waste management licences and pollution prevention and control permits and it supervises compliance with the relevant terms and conditions.
§ Mr Ian Liddell-GraingerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the maximum permitted levels of smell from a waste plant are. [93124]
§ Mr. MeacherThe Environment Agency regulates odour emissions from waste facilities with the objective of achieving "no reasonable cause for annoyance". The level of odour from a waste facility that will result in annoyance will depend on factors such as the type, strength and duration of odour. Guidance for Environment Agency officers in determining unacceptable levels of odour from waste facilities is provided in "Internal Guidance for the Regulation of odour at waste management facilities" and "IPPC Horizontal guidance note H4—external consultation". Both of these documents are available on the Environment Agency's website atwww.environrment-agency.gov.uk.
1075W
§ Mr Ian Liddell-GraingerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what work has been done on assessing the effect of waste treatment plants on livestock. [93125]
§ Mr. MeacherNo work has been done specifically relating to the effects of waste treatment plants on livestock.