HC Deb 21 October 1991 vol 196 cc384-5W
Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what he assesses will be the implications for environmental protection of future programmes of tyre disposal.

Mr. Trippier

Future programmes of tyre disposal will need to meet the environmental standards set by current and forthcoming waste management legislation. including the "duty of care" regulations due to be introduced in April 1992. These regulations and other provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 should lead to higher scrap tyre recycling rates.

The European Commission is also now considering scrap tyres as a "priority waste stream" and it is likely that this exercise will result in the introduction of tyre recycling targets.

Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the number of obsolete tyres awaiting disposal: and what proposals he has for their disposal.

Mr. Trippier

We have no information at present on which to base an estimate, but my Department intends to conduct a survey of local authorities shortly to assess the numbers of tyres awaiting disposal.

The Government's new environmental legislation makes the use of scrap tyres as a fuel or secondary raw material more commercially viable. As a result, the prospects for using scrap tyres productively have increased in recent years and a number of companies are now developing schemes to use tyres.

We will be monitoring the situation to see whether these initiatives make sufficient inroads into the stockpiles of used tyres or whether further action is necessary.

Mr. Graham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps the Government are taking to ensure that carbon black waste from tyres is safely disposed of; and what assessment he has made of the danger that can occur if such waste is left exposed to the environment.

Mr. Baldry

Carbon black waste is released from tyres only if they are burnt. If allowed into the air it can be visually offensive, but could only be harmful to the environment if contaminated with other constituents of rubber tyres such as phenols. Incineration schemes for tyres would need appropriate gas cleansing and residue control measures and any disposal of contaminated carbon black waste to landfill would need to be properly licensed by local authorities and subject to suitable safeguards.