§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will implement a refrigerant recycling and reclaim policy covering all departmental
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Region February March April May June July August September October Northern — — — — — — 1 — — North Eastern 1 — — — 3 — — — — East Midlands — — 1 1 — 1 3 1 3 North Mercia — 1 — — — 6 4 4 3 South Mercia — — 1 1 2 2 3 — — Anglia — — — — 1 1 1 — — South East — 1 1 1 2 4 2 2 1 Wessex — — 7 6 7 4 3 g 9 South West — 2 — — — 6 1 4 2 equipment currently using chlorofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons; if he will publish targets for departmental reuse and recycling; if he will implement an equipment conversion and replacement programme for all departmental uses of CFCs and HCFCs; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. CurryThe Department disposes of all equipment containing CFCs and HCFCs in accordance with the Duty of Care Regulations which came into force on 1 April 1992 under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. These regulations put a responsibility on producers of controlled waste to ensure that it is disposed of safely and legally. Where existing equipment containing CFCs is to be renewed it is replaced by equipment which contains refrigerants which are understood to be less environmentally damaging. The Department considered but rejected replacing all sound equipment containing CFCs because on balance there was seen to be no environmental advantage in this course of action.
§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce a leakage prevention programme for all refrigeration and air conditioning equipment owned and operated by his Department; if he will publish targets for reductions in leakages; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. CurryThe Department is fully aware of its responsibilities towards equipment containing ozone-depleting substances and has taken appropriate action to meet those responsibilities. All its refrigeration, other than small freezers and refrigerators, and air conditioning equipment is already subject to a rigorous maintenance regime, performance is regularly monitored and defects are attended to promptly.