HC Deb 30 November 1988 vol 142 cc276-7W
Ms. Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the 1987 production and usage of chlorofluorocarbons in the United Kingdom, and the projections for 1990 and 1995.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

Production and use figures for chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are not given separately for the United Kingdom (UK) or any individual member state of the European Community (EC). Figures for production and use (sales) in the EC in 1987 are not yet available. Following are 1986 figures for CFCs 11, 12, 113 and 114:

CFC 11/12 000 tonnes CFC 113/114 000 tonnes
EC Production 372 66
EC Use (Sales) 259 48

Source: European Council of Chemical Manufacturers' Federation. Figures for CFC 115 are not available.

The Montreal protocol provides for production and consumption of CFCs 11, 12, 113, 114 and 115 to be frozen at 1986 levels by 1990, reduced by 20 per cent. by 1994 and by a further 30 per cent. by 1999. The regulation adopted in October 1988 to implement the protocol within the EC provides for the consumption obligations to be fulfilled by the Community as a whole. The United Kingdom has called for the protocol to be strengthened so as to reduce CFC emissions by at least 85 per cent. by the end of the century.

Dr. Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the reasons which underlie his policy decision to rely on voluntary measures by industry to reduce pollution by chlorofluorocarbons.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

The provisions of the regulation to implement the Montreal protocol in the European Community for controlling productions and consumption of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and halons are directly binding on producing and importing companies. Within the EC, consumption is to be controlled by control of overall supply not specific uses. Market forces will determine how available supplies are used. It is within this overall regulatory framework that we expect user industries to take steps on a voluntary basis to reduce the use of CFCs and halons to the maximum possible extent. EC Environment Ministers on 16 June asked the European Commission in co-operation with member states to initiate discussions with European industry to this end. Controls on specific uses are not necessary. A voluntary approach is simple, quick and effective. In the United Kingdom and some other EC member states action has already been taken on a voluntary basis to reduce CFCs in aerosols: the United Kingdom aerosol industry expects to phase-out nonessential use of CFCs in aerosols by the end of 1989.

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