§ Mr. Knoxasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Department is undertaking research into the uses of refuse, particularly of plastics; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. OakesYes. Projects which we are sponsoring include one on pyrolysis, which is a process of destructive distillation of waste without air, to yield gas, oil and other products, and another on the mechanical sorting of waste after collection. We have also made a grant from research funds towards the experiment Oxfam are conducting at Kirklees under which particular types of waste are separated by the householder. All these projects are relevant to plastics, although in varying degree. Further research is carried out by the plastics industry.