§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what information his Department has as to dangers to domestic customers using smokeless fuels from(a) European Community countries and (b) other countries; what representations he has received; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. McLoughlinMy Department has received representations from a number of organisations about the safety of petroleum coke for domestic use. Very few complaints were received from users of petroleum coke. No information was given about the country of manufacture of the fuel. However, all petroleum coke for domestic use in this country is imported, the majority coming from north America.
Over the period from 1989 to 1991, when the majority of the representations were received, my Department investigated various claims that this fuel was unsuitable for domestic use. After examination of the available evidence, it was concluded that the fuel should not pose undue risks to consumers provided that sensible precautions were taken for its use. Accordingly, my Department advised suppliers of petroleum coke that consumers should be provided with written instructions for safe use of the fuel, and, in this regard, reminded them of their responsibilities under section 10—the general safety requirement—of the Consumer Protection Act 1987.
The recommended safety precautions are that petroleum coke:
must only be used in an open-grate fire and never in a closed appliance;must always be blended, before use, with another solid fuel that will produce sufficient ash residue to protect the metal parts of the fire.751WA fine-mesh fire guard should be used—as with any solid fuel.