HL Deb 22 May 2000 vol 613 cc45-8WA
The Countess of Mar

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What was the cost to them of the Entec report on the environment and regulatory impacts of the draft Incineration of Waste Directive; and whether they are satisfied with the quality of that report. [HL2417]

Lord Whitty

The cost of the main Entec UK Ltd report of February 1999 was £32,970 + VAT. Entec UK Ltd also undertook further cost-benefit analyses at later stages of the proposal's progress, at a total cost of £20,935 + VAT. We were broadly content with the accuracy of the reports, but invited 36 trade associations (listed in response to Question 235/99/00) to comment by way of a check. We have recently become aware from the National Farmers Union that the number of small-scale animal carcass incinerators was significantly underestimated.

The Countess of Mar

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they consider the compliance costs associated with the draft Incineration or Waste Directive to be reasonable and, if so, whether this is in accord with the advice of Entec given in June 1999. [HL2420]

Lord Whitty

The main February 1999 report of Entec UK Ltd on the proposed waste incineration directive included an assessment of the "reasonableness" of the proposal in respect of different incineration sectors.

Entec produced two further reports on the waste incineration proposal in June 1999, copies of which ale in the House Library. One reported on the emissions standards employed in certain other EU member states, and the other considered the impact of the amendments proposed by the European Parliament to the Commission's proposal in response to its First Reading. The latter report also included separate assessments of the "reasonableness" of the proposed directive with the Parliament's First Reading amendments, and of the proposed directive with standards tightened to the same levels as those in the other member states investigated.

We have broadly accepted Entec's assessment at each stage, and have taken full account of it prior to reaching Common Position, including our exploration of an exclusion from the scope of the proposal for small-scale animal carcass incinerators.

The Countess of Mar

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What measures have been taken to inform manufacturers and users of small incinerators for the disposal of animal carcasses of the effects of the draft Incineration of Waste Directive. [HL2419]

Lord Whitty

Copies of the various drafts of the proposed directive and the cost-benefit analyses DETR commissioned from Entec UK Ltd, which referred to animal carcass incinerators, were distributed as they arose to the trade representative organisations listed below over the period since 1994, as well as to relevant government departments. Trade representative organisations were also invited to meetings with DETR at which the proposed directive was explained on the following dates: 27 April 1994, 25 September 1997 and 6 October 1998.

  • Association of Drum Manufacturers
  • Association of Independent Electricity Producers
  • Association of Electrical Machinery Trades
  • British Scrap Federation
  • British Cement Association
  • British Recovered Paper Association
  • British Biogen
  • British Foundries Association
  • British Plastics Federation
  • Chemical Industries Association
  • Combined Heat and Power Association
  • Combustion Engineering Association
  • Confederation of British Industry
  • Electricity Association
  • Energy from Waste Association
  • Environmental Services Association
  • Environmental Engineering Group, Open University
  • Federation of Small Businesses
  • Food and Drink Federation
  • Institute of Waste Management
  • Licensed Animal Slaughterers & Salvage Association
  • National Farmers Union
  • National Association of Waste Disposal Officers
  • Oil Recycling Association
  • Paper Federation of Great Britain
  • Pet Food Manufacturers' Association
  • Photographic Wastes Management Association
  • Quarry Products Association
  • Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders Ltd
  • TRADA Technology Ltd
  • UK Renderers Association Ltd
  • UK Steel Association
  • United Kingdom Agricultural Supply Trade Association
  • Waste Processing Association
  • Water UK
  • Wood Panel Industries Federation.

The Countess of Mar

asked Her Majesty's Government:

On what date they were advised that the draft Incineration of Waste Directive was to apply to the incineration of animal carcasses; and who was informed that the exemptions for incineration of animal carcasses were to be withdrawn; and [HL2418]

Whether they have considered the proposal at the conciliation phase of an amendment to the draft Incineration of Waste Directive to re-introduce the exemption for the incineration of animal carcasses in small rural incinerators. [HL2421]

Lord Whitty

The European Commission working papers, the first of which was issued in 1994, and the subsequent formal Commission proposal for a waste incineration Directive of October 1998, excluded burning of certain waste by reference to Directive 75/442/EEC. Animal carcasses were among the wastes excluded but only if they were already covered by other legislation. The Council's Common Position text does the same. The Government's view is that environmental standards for animal carcass incineration are not covered by any other Community legislation and that, as was the case at earlier stages, animal carcass incinerators are therefore not excluded from the scope of the incineration proposal Common Position.

The Council is currently considering the European Parliament's amendments to the Common Position, including those affecting the scope, at official level. Council's rules of procedure do not allow me to comment on the detail of those discussions. No decisions have been taken by the Council in relation to the European Parliament's amendments. We will keep the House informed in the usual way.