§ Dr. John A. Cunninghamasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of waste motor oil in the United Kingdom is refined annually; how the remainder is disposed of; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Eldon GriffithsI have been asked to reply.
I have no reliable figure, but it is believed that less than half of the waste oil removed from motor vehicles is refined for reuse. The remainder is disposed of in a variety of ways, including use as a fuel. A Departmental Working Group on Awkward Household Wastes 225W is considering problems of disposal and reuse of waste motor oil from "do-it-yourself" motorists.
§ Dr. John A. Cunninghamasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his estimate of the percentage of oil pollution of rivers and the coastline which is caused by the disposal of spent oil by the motor and engineering industries.
§ Mr. Eldon GriffithsI have been asked to reply.
No meaningful estimate can be made.
§ Dr. John A. Cunninghamasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which regulations control the disposal of waste oil and lubricants by the motor and engineering industries; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Eldon GriffithsI have been asked to reply.
There are no regulations controlling the disposal of these wastes as such but when they are disposed of on land the Deposit of Poisonous Waste Act 1972 requires notice to be given to the local authority and river authority concerned. Disposal in an unacceptable way could, according to the circumstances, be an offence under one or more of the following provisions:
The Public Health Act 1936. Under Section 27 it is an offence to put various matter, including oil made from petroleum, into a public sewer, or into any drain or sewer connecting with a public sewer.
The Water Act 1945. Under Section 21 it is an offence to cause pollution of the water of any well, borehole, spring or adit used for human consumption or domestic purposes, or for manufacturing food or drink for human consumption.
The Rivers (Prevention of Pollution) Act 1951. Under Section 2 it is an offence to cause or knowingly permit to enter a stream any poisonous, noxious or polluting matter.
The Water Resources Act 1963. Under Section 72 it is an offence to discharge any poisonous, noxious or polluting matter by means of any well, borehole or pipe into any underground strata, except with the consent of the river authority for the area.
226WThe Prevention of Oil Pollution Act 1971. Regulations made under this Act prohibit the discharge of oil from vessels at sea, except in accordance with prescribed conditions.
The Deposit of Poisonous Waste Act 1972. Under Section 1 it is an offence to deposit waste on land in circumstances in which it might give rise to an "environmental" hazard—that is, in circumstances in which it might cause danger to persons or animals, or pollute any water supply.
My Department is already in consultation with the local authority associations and other interested bodies on the form which new and more comprehensive legislation concerning the disposal of waste on land should take.
§ Dr. John A. Cunninghamasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the total annual consumption of oil for lubrication purposes by the motor industry in Great Britain; and what records his Department keeps on the methods of disposal of spent lubricants.
§ Mr. EmeryStatistics of annual consumption of oil for lubrication purposes by the motor industry in Great Britain are not available in the Department, nor are there any records of the method of disposal of spent lubricants.