§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he holds concerning chemicals in drums or containers which have sunk within 100 miles of the British coast in the last 30 years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Michael PortilloOn each occasion of a loss of packaged chemicals into the sea from a ship being reported to the marine pollution control unit a decision is taken on scientific advice as to whether it is necessary to relocate and recover the chemical to protect the marine environment. Where it is not, no permanent record of the incident is maintained and the location of the lost chemical is generally unknown. Accordingly, the only detailed record held by the Department stems from the only chemical salvage operation carried out by the MPCU to date. This was after the mv Perintis sank in United Kingdom waters near the channel light vessel in March, 1989. All 12 of the drums of Cypermethrin and 16 of the drums of Permethrin carried by the vessel were successfully recovered, leaving four 50 kg drums of Permethrin which could not be found. 5.8 tonnes of Lindane from the same vessel floated off from the wreck in a commercial container was subsequently lost in the approaches to Cherbourg while under tow by a French tug, and its location remains unknown.
Four tonnes of PCB contained in four electrical transformers were lost in the Piper Alpha disaster in July, 1988 and remain unlocated.