§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to review the clearance of and controls on existing chemicals.
§ Mr. TrippierThe Department of the Environment and the Welsh Office published a consultation paper on statutory powers to evaluate and control the environmental hazard of existing chemicals in April 1989. The Secretary of State for the Environment announced on 20 December 1989 that further provisions on the control of chemicals forming a legal framework for the evaluation of potentially harmful effects on human health or the environment would be introduced in the Environmental Protection Bill.
§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to introduce a benign list clearance system for new chemical substances.
§ Mr. TrippierNew chemical substances are subject to the provisions of the Notification of New Substances Regulations 1982 which implement European Communities directive No. 79/831/EEC. The regulations require that specified information on the properties and use of new substances is provided to the Department of the Environment and the Health and Safety Executive. The information is evaluated to assess any potential risk to man or the environment resulting from the use of the substance and where necessary appropriate action is taken.