HC Deb 20 November 1972 vol 846 c286W
59. Mr. Eadie

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the technique used for disposing of rubbish from homes as a source of energy consumption in the Government science laboratories.

Mr. Onslow

The energy content of domestic refuse can be recovered in the form of a gaseous or liquid fuel by the process of destructive distillation known as pyrolysis. The techniques of achieving this are being investigated and developed by the Warren Spring laboratory. The process reduces the refuse to a low-volume residue from which metals and other materials of value can more easily be recovered.