§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much untreated sewage was disposed of on or in agricultural land in each year since 1991; and what assessment he has made of the impact of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 on these figures. [22865]
§ Angela EagleSewage may be spread on agricultural land under the terms of a waste management licence issued by the Environment Agency under Part II of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The objective of the licensing system is to ensure that waste is recovered or disposed of in ways which protect the environment and human health.
The Environment Agency does not maintain a central record that distinguishes the licensed spreading of sewage from the licensed spreading of other wastes. It is not possible, therefore, to make an assessment of the impact of the 1990 Act on the quantities of sewage which are spread. However, the Department and the Environment Agency have commissioned the Water Research Council and the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service (ADAS) to develop further the criteria that determine the circumstances in which the spreading of wastes is of benefit to agriculture. The research project is expected to be completed by the end of March 1998.