HC Deb 21 June 1988 vol 135 cc481-2W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for requiring strict declaration of quantities of waste shipped to the United Kingdom to avoid losses en route to the British port.

Mr. Moynihan

Regulations soon to be laid to implement the EC directive on the transfrontier shipment of hazardous waste require the use of consignment notes which will enable any losses during the journey to be identified.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for requiring notification to waste disposal authorities in ports of import of the quantity, nature, and dangers of all waste imports, before arrival in Britain.

Mr. Moynihan

Under regulations soon to be laid to implement the EC directive on the transfrontier shipment of hazardous waste, the waste disposal authority at the port of entry will receive detailed information on the quantity, nature and dangers of consignments of special waste before arrival at the port. We have no plans to require the pre-notification of wastes which are not covered by the directive.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of the toxic waste imported into Britain during 1987 was hazardous but not recorded as special waste.

Mr. Moynihan

The records available relate only to special waste; that is, waste which is dangerous or difficult to dispose of.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take action to ensure the independent monitoring of all imported waste.

Mr. Moynihan

Disposal of all controlled waste, including imports, is subject to licences issued by waste disposal authorities.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to the total cost of waste disposal authorities of undertaking the chemical analysis of imported toxic waste for the latest available year.

Mr. Moynihan

None.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of the toxic waste imported into Britain during 1987 was subsequently recycled into other products.

Mr. Moynihan

This information is not available.

Mr. Butler

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has made any assessment of the extent to which imported domestic waste from the United States of America is likely to contain cockroaches.

Mr. Moynihan

No.