HC Deb 10 November 1989 vol 159 cc833-4W
Mr. Flynn

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in which British coastal waters the greatest contamination of PCBs have been discovered.

Mr. Curry

As a consequence of world-wide PCB use and release PCBs can be detected in most marine species, using sensitive analytical techniques. Within British coastal waters levels are generally highest in the north-east Irish sea/Liverpool bay area.

Mr. Flynn

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence of PCB contamination of British coastal waters has been discovered following the analysis of dead cetaceans.

Mr. Curry

Concentrations of PCBs in British coastal waters and cetaceans reflect inputs from world-wide sources. The analyses of dead cetaceans give no grounds for suspicion that PCB concentrations found were caused by a particular local discharge.

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