§ Mrs. Thatcherasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) what requirements he has imposed through the alkali inspectorate with regard to the emission of fluorine compounds on 183W those operating the electrolyte process of smelting aluminium;
(2) what steps he proposes to take to deal with the fluorine contamination to be expected from aluminium smelting at Lynemouth, in view of the experience of other countries operating this process.
§ Mr. GreenwoodPlanning permission for the aluminium smelter at Lynemouth has been granted subject to the condition that details of the means of purification and disposal of gaseous effluent shall be submitted to the local planning authority for their approval on the advice of the Alkali Inspectorate. The Inspectorate's recommendations, which take account of experience in other countries and are accepted by the company, are that there shall be 95 per cent. containment of the fumes from the electrolytic pots, with not less than 95 per cent. removal of gaseous and paniculate fluorine compounds from the contained gases before discharge to the air through chimneys 150 feet high. The residual 5 per cent. of the fumes will escape to air through the roof louvres at a height of about 60 feet.