Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the implementation of European Council directive 87/217/EEC on asbestos in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. TrippierAs regards emissions to air, the Control of Asbestos in the Air Regulations 1990, which come into force on 5 April, give statutory force to the emission limit contained in the directive and impose a general duty not to cause significant environmental pollution by asbestos. All industrial plants involving the use of asbestos, as defined in the directive, are already subject to control by the relevant national air pollution inspectorates.
The statutory powers necessary to secure compliance with the directive's requirements on discharges of asbestos to water are contained in the effluent discharge requirements of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 and the Trade Effluent (Prescribed Processes and Substances) Regulations 1989.
The disposal of waste containing asbestos is controlled according to the directive's requirements by the site licence system under the Control of Pollution Act 1974, the Collection and Disposal of Waste Regulations 1988 and the Control of Pollution (Special Wastes) Regulations 1980, and by the containment and labelling requirements of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 1987.
The directive is being implemented through parallel legislation in Northern Ireland.