§ Mr. George HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what guidelines and procedures exist or are proposed on the role and responsibilities of metropolitan districts in monitoring and supervising medical waste incinerators in(a) the private sector and (b) the NHS;
(2) what guidelines and procedures exist or are proposed on the role and responsibility of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution in monitoring and supervising medical waste incinerator facilities in the private sector.
§ Mr. YeoThe incineration of medical waste is a prescribed process under part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution is responsible for the integrated pollution control of private sector and NHS incinerators with a capacity of 1 tonne per hour or more. They have issued a process guidance note, IPR5/2 "Clinical Waste Incineration", which sets out in detail how these processes should be operated and monitored. Local authorities, including metropolitan districts, are responsible for air pollution control of private sector and NHS incinerators with a capacity of less than 1 tonne per hour; the Secretary of State's guidance note PG 5/1(92) "Clinical Waste Incineration Processes," provides guidance relating to these smaller incinerators. The Secretary of State has also issued waste management paper 25, which gives guidance to waste regulation authorities in relation to their responsibilities in respect of the licensing of the handling and storage of medical waste.
§ Mr. George HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the locations, the names of the companies involved, their capacities and their proposed timetable for development for medical waste incinerators which currently are in receipt of planning consent.
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