§ Mr. Temple-MorrisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the relationship between the temperature at which municipal solid waste incinerators burn and the impact on the health of local residents associated with emissions from such incinerators; and if he will make a statement. [147509]
§ Mr. MeacherThere have been no specific studies focusing directly on the relationship between the burn temperature of an incinerator and the health of local residents.
Temperature is not the only factor affecting emissions. It is an important component but the content of emissions is also reliant on residence time within the secondary chamber, the associated oxygen content and the turbulence of gases within this chamber.
The UK is ultimately concerned with emissions, rather than temperature in its own right. The new Waste Incineration Directive sets a minimum temperature for operation but acknowledges that this need not be met where the required emissions limit values can be achieved notwithstanding. The UK will transpose this Directive into domestic legislation by 28 December 2002.