§ Mr. Canavanasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any information about the potential production of dioxins or furans during the combustion of polyvinyl chloride materials in municipal refuse incinerators; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. RumboldThere are conflicting views about the role of the various potential chlorine sources, including polyvinyl chloride, in the formation of trace quantities of dioxins and furans during the complex combustion processes taking place in municipal refuse incinerators. However, investigations are currently being carried out by the Warren Spring Laboratory, designed amongst other things to test the content of dioxins and furans in the flue gases from municipal incinerators.