§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what discussions and on what dates have taken place between his Department, MAFF and the DTI regarding(a) a common definition of bulky waste and (b) a policy for its disposal at sea; [15629]
(2) what is his Department's definition of bulky waste in respect of disposal of waste at sea; [15628]
(3) what assessment his Department has made of potential disposal sites for bulky wastes at sea; and if he will place in the Library copies of (a) studies evaluated by his Department and (b) correspondence between his Department and other bodies on this subject. [15647]
§ Mr. BoswellI have been asked to reply.
The London convention of 1972 on dumping of waste at sea refers to containers, scrap metal and other bulky wastes liable to sink to the sea bottom which may present a serious obstacle to fishing or navigation.
The protocol to the London convention, agreed in November last year, describes bulky wastes as items primarily comprising iron, steel, concrete and similarly unharmful materials for which the primary concern is physical impact.
The Ospar convention, which will shortly supersede the Oslo convention and whose more stringent controls on dumping at sea are already applied to UK waters, does not refer to bulky wastes. Under Ospar the dumping of all wastes or other matter is prohibited except for specified categories which include inert materials of natural origin—for example, rock—and vessels and aircraft until 2004; offshore installations and pipelines may also be considered for disposal. Each case is considered on its merits and it is UK policy to license disposal at sea only when there is no safe and practicable alternative. The only assessment so far undertaken of potential disposal sites at sea for a bulky waste was conducted by the Scottish Office in relation to the Brent Spar. All the studies included in that assessment have already been placed in the Library.
Details of the interdepartmental discussions on this topic could be derived only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what procedure his Department follows in determining best practicable environmental options; and what criteria govern the disposal of bulky wastes at sea, in the case of(a) redundant oil and gas installations, (b) radioactive wastes and (c) other wastes; [15649]
(2) what are the interdepartmental co-ordination and consultation mechanisms used in determining the best practicable environmental options for disposing of bulky wastes at sea, in the case of (a) redundant oil and gas installations, (b) radioactive wastes and (c) other wastes; and by what means public opinion is taken into account. [15653]
§ Mr. BoswellI have been asked to reply.
The dumping of waste at sea is subject to the provisions of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 and the UK has agreed to abide by guidelines and assessment procedures adopted under relevant international conventions.
452WIn particular, we apply annex 11 to the recently agreed protocol to the London convention which sets out the considerations that need to be taken into account when conducting an assessment of wastes that may be considered for dumping at sea. These include whether appropriate opportunities exist to re-use, recycle or treat the waste without undue risks to human health or the environment or disproportionate costs; the chemical, physical and biological properties of the waste; the suitability of the proposed dump site; and potential effects on the environment.
Other Departments and the conservation agencies are consulted on such assessments as appropriate on a case by case basis. In relation to the decommissioning of oil and gas installations, which is the responsibility the Department of Trade and Industry, a wide range of fisheries, amenity and environmental interests are consulted.