§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the effects on(a) human and (b) animal health of methyl tertiary butyl ether; and if he will make a statement. [123448]
§ Yvette CooperA major review of the potential health effects of oxygenates, including methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), carried out by the Health Effects Institute in 1996 in the United States where levels can be considerably higher than in the United Kingdom at levels of about 10–15 per cent., concluded that "it is unlikely that fuel containing oxygenates would substantially increase the overall health risk from fuel used in motor vehicles".
404WThe Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP) is currently considering the possible effects on human health of the inclusion of MTBE in petrol from the point of view of exposures via air. In its examination of evidence, COMEAP is looking at data on the effects of MTBE on animals. A statement will be produced in due course.