§ Mr. BerminghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any proposals under consideration for the imposition of more stringent controls on industry to prevent discharges of metals into the sewerage system; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Howard[holding answer 9 November 1989]: We have announced our intention to bring forward proposals to introduce strict new integrated pollution controls over industrial sectors with the greatest pollution potential. These controls will cover the release of wastes to all media, including sewers.
Meanwhile, the Water Act 1989 and the Trade Effluents (Prescribed Processes and Substances) Regulations 1989, which came into force on 1 September, introduced new controls over discharges to sewer of a number of priority substances, including several groups of metal compounds. Proposals for new or altered discharges to sewer containing these substances must be referred to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, who also has powers to review existing consents. In exercising his powers of determination in such cases my right hon. Friend will be guided by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution as to the best available technology not entailing excessive cost for reducing inputs of these substances to a minimum.
In addition, Department of the Environment circular 7/89, issued earlier this year, set environmental quality standards in rivers and marine waters for a range of metals. Where these standards are not met, the National Rivers Authority is required to undertake programmes for pollution reduction, which may in some cases entail tighter controls on discharges from sewers and sewage treatment works, and hence on trade effluent inputs to the sewerage system.