§ Mr. BerminghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any proposals for new limitations on pollution from incinerators of municipal rubbish; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe Health and Safety (Emissions into the Atmosphere) (Amendment) Regulations 1989, which are due to come into force on 31 March 1989, will bring under the control of the national air pollution inspectorates all incinerators capable of burning 1 tonne or more of municipal waste per hour. When drawing up control requirements the inspectorates will ensure compliance with the EC directive on the 323W prevention of air pollution from new municipal waste incinerators. Agreement on this directive was reached at the Council of Environment Ministers' meeting on 2 March 1989. Discussions are continuing within the Community on a draft directive dealing with existing municipal waste incinerators.
§ Mr. BerminghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any proposals for new guidance on practices at incinerators to limit dioxin discharges; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyFrom 31 March all large incinerators will be under the control of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Pollution. We propose to minimise emissions of dioxins by the strict control of combustion conditions. This is the approach adopted in the EC directive on the prevention of air pollution from new municipal waste incineration plants agreed by the Council of Environment Ministers on 2 March. The EC Commission is setting up a working party of experts to report on control of dioxins from incinerators. We will co-operate fully with this work.