§ Mr. BattleTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the cost of the study commissioned by his Department from the Water Research Council into the characteristics of ash from energy from waste plants; what advice he has received on the nature of this ash, and its place in the national waste classification system; if it is his Department's policy to support energy from waste plants; and if he will make a statement. [20462]
§ Mr. PageThe Department of Trade and Industry commissioned the Water Research Council to report on the properties and utilisation of municipal solid waste incineration residues, at a cost of £103,000. The report recommended that greatest effort should be given to the utilisation of bottom ash as secondary aggregate; an approach successfully employed in Denmark, France, Germany and the Netherlands. Ashes from the combustion of wood, coal and wastes are expected to be included in a new category in the third stage consultation on the waste classification scheme which the Department of the Environment will publish in April. Revenue from the beneficial use of bottom ash will help to improve the competitiveness of energy from waste projects which are supported by the non-fossil fuel obligation. Energy from waste projects also have the prospect of being developed outside the NFFO arrangements.