HC Deb 26 June 1992 vol 210 cc331-3W
Mr. Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will make a statement on the reasons why the European Environment Council did not conclude an agreement on the proposed Commission regulation on the supervision and control of shipments of waste within, into and out of the European Community at its meeting on 26 May; and what efforts he intends to make to ensure the conclusion of a satisfactory agreement at an early date;

(2) if he will set out each of the reservations held by Her Majesty's Government on the amended draft EC regulation, COM (92)121 final, on the supervision and control of shipments of waste within, into and out of the European Community.

Mr. Maclean

I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment gave to the hon. Member for Somerton and Frome (Mr. Robinson) on 3 June at column544. I also refer the hon. Member to my Department's explanatory memorandum on this amended proposal. A copy of the memorandum has been placed in the Library of the House.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he is taking to bring about an immediate reduction of waste importation for illegal disposal; and what action he proposes to prevent importation for illegal disposal in the long term.

Mr. Maclean

[holding answer 25 June 1992]: The Transfrontier Shipment of Hazardous Waste Regulations 1988 make it an offence to import waste in breach of the regulations and allow competent authorities to object to any shipments which might lead to a breach of controls over disposal. The draft EC Waste Shipments Regulation would extend and improve these controls. It includes a requirement for any shipment which contravenes the regulation to be taken back.

If the hon. Member has any information about wastes currently being imported for illegal disposal then I should be glad to receive it.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many sites within(a) England and (b) Yorkshire and Humberside receive imported toxic waste; and if he will identify the sites and state the level of toxic waste disposed of at each site for the last year in which figures are available.

Mr. Maclean

[holding answer 25 June 1992]: Some 18 companies in England, including one in west Yorkshire, received imported hazardous waste (as notified under the Transfrontier Shipment of Hazardous Waste Regulations 1988) in the financial year 1991–92. The details are as follows:

Company and location Waste disposal authority Quantity (tonnes)
Biffa Waste Services Ltd., Bray Berkshire 333
Chemical Mfg. and Refining Ltd., Rye East Sussex 31
Cleanaway Ltd., Ellesmere Port Cheshire 1,178
Collier Industrial Waste Ltd., Greater 6,735
Trafford Park Manchester
DP Effluent Treatment Ltd., Runcorn Cheshire 185
Gelpke and Bate Ltd., Rye East Sussex 16
Grosvenor Power Service, Greater 80
Carrington Manchester
Grundon Waste Ltd., Colnbrook Buckinghamshire 927
ICI Chemicals and Polymers, Runcorn Cheshire 3,721
Lancashire Tar Distillers, Greater 2,047
Cadishead Manchester
Lanstar Waste Treatment, Greater 9,534
Cadishead Manchester
Company and location Waste disposal authority Quantity (tonnes)
Leigh Environmental Ltd., Trafford Greater 4,441
Park Manchester
Polymeric Treatment Ltd.. Walsall West Midlands 3,192
Progressive Waste Ltd., Trafford Greater 1,867
Park Manchester
Rechem (Southampton) Ltd., Fawley Hampshire 5,629
Solrec Ltd.. Morecambe Lancashire 19
Thornton Processing Ltd.. Bradford West Yorkshire 3
Triton Transformer Services Ltd., Newark Nottinghamshire 578