§ Ms. RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the percentage that disposable nappies form of domestic refuge as a whole.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyNo precise figure is available but it is estimated that disposable nappies represent less than 1 per cent. by weight of total household waste.
§ Ms. RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether there have been any reports of viruses discovered in rubbish tips associated with soiled disposable nappies handled as normal domestic waste.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyWe are not aware of any such reports. It would, however, be very difficult to determine whether or not viruses discovered in landfill sites are directly attributable to the presence of disposable nappies.
§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the closed-circuit television monitoring of sewers; and if he will estimate the annual cost of drains blocked by disposable nappies.
§ Mr. MoynihanThe water authorities use mobile closed circuit television equipment extensively and successfully to make detailed surveys of the most critical sections of their sewage systems. It is neither necessary nor practicable to extend its use to monitor all public sewers.
WCs and private drainage systems are not designed to deal with disposable nappies. Maintenance and repair of these systems are the responsibility of the owners and no information is available centrally on which to base an estimate of the annual cost of clearing blockages in them.