§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the impact of catalytic converters on the levels of plutonium in the air; what recent studies have been carried out to establish those levels; and if he will make a statement. [57226]
§ Mr. MealeCatalytic converters are not expected to have any effect on the levels of plutonium in air. However, they do contain platinum group metals. My Department commissioned a report from the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine in 1994 on the levels of these metals in the UK environment. The report concluded that there is no evidence of risks to human health from the use of platinum group metals in vehicle catalytic converters.