§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what further investigations have been made of dioxin contamination of soils and vegetation in Derbyshire.
§ Mr. YeoI have today placed in the Library of the House a copy of the results of soil and vegetation sampling at Stanton-by-Dale and Staveley in Derbyshire. The results are in i he same range as the levels found in earlier samples taken at Staveley, announced on 31 March,Official Report, column 292.
Concentrations of dioxins in soil and vegetation are reflected in concentrations in milk from the same area. Milk is the principle source of human exposure to dioxins. The concentrations of dioxins in milk produced in the Staveley area are within the normal range for milk in the United Kingdom. Because the levels of dioxins in vegetation and soil in the Stanton-by-Dale area are comparable to or less than the levels found in the Staveley area, there is no concern about the milk produced in the Stanton-by-Dale area.
Sampling of emissions to the air from the foundry at Staveley reveal a very low level of dioxins, equivalent to one seventh of the guideline limit set by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution for new chemical incinerators. These results suggest that the gas cleaning plant at the Staveley foundry is very effective.
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