§ Ms WalleyTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what quantities of hazardous chemicals were transported by(a) road, (b) rail and (c) into or out of United Kingdom ports in each of the last five years.
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§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleI have been ask to reply.
Only limited information is available.
The quantity of chemicals, including those classed as dangerous, moved by road in vehicles over 3.5 tonnes in each of the last five years for which figures are available was:
Million tonnes 1987 49 1988 52 1989 55 1990 53 1991 45 There were 1.4 million tonnes of dangerous chemicals moved by rail in wagons in 1989–90, 1.5 million tonnes in 1990–91, and 1.2 million tonnes in 1991–92. In addition, British Rail has moved annually some 14,000 tank containers of differing sizes.
Special surveys of movements of hazardous substances through United Kingdom ports recorded 3.1 and 3.5 million tonnes of packaged dangerous goods—which would include some dangerous chemicals in 1988 and 1989 respectively, and 7.8 and 8.1 million tonnes of bulk dangerous chemicals in 1989 and 1990 respectively.