HC Deb 20 July 2001 vol 372 cc633-4W
Andrew Mackinlay

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will list the types of dioxins which have been present, in each of the past 10 years, in fly ash from waste incinerators(a) nationally and (b) from the Edmonton incinerator. [4865]

Mr. Meacher

[holding answer 18 July 2001]: There are 210 types (congeners) of dioxins—only 17 of which are considered to be significant cause for concern because of their toxicity—and these are listed. All combustion processes including waste incinerators produce a mixture of dioxin congeners which will be detected in the fly ash but monitoring usually focuses on the 17 congeners of concern which are reported as Toxic Equivalents (TEQ). Fly ash from the Edmonton incinerator would similarly contain a mixture of the 210 dioxin congeners.

Annex A The 17 dioxin (and furan) congeners which are considered to be significant cause for concern because of their toxicity.

Dioxins

  • 2,3,7,8-TCDD—tetra chloro dibenzo-para-dioxin
  • 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDD—penta chloro dibenzo-para-dioxin
  • 1,2,3,4,7,8-HxCDD—hexa chloro dibenzo-para-dioxin
  • 1,2,3,6,7,8-HxCDD—hexa chloro dibenzo-para-dioxin
  • 1,2,3,7,8,9-HxCDD—hexa chloro dibenzo-para-dioxin
  • 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDD—hepta chloro dibenzo-para-dioxin
  • OCDD—octa chloro dibenzo-para-dioxin

Furans

  • 2,3,7,8-TCDF—tetra chloro dibenzo furan
  • 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDF—penta chloro dibenzo furan
  • 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF—penta chloro dibenzo furan
  • 1,2,3,4,7,8-HxCDF—hexa chloro dibenzo furan
  • 1,2,3,7,8,9-HxCDF—hexa chloro dibenzo furan
  • 1,2,3,6,7,8-HxCDF—hexa chloro dibenzo furan
  • 2,3,4,6,7,8-HxCDF—hexa chloro dibenzo furan
  • 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDF—hepta chloro dibenzo furan
  • 1,2,3,4,7,8,9-HpCDF—hepta chloro dibenzo furan
  • OCDF—octa chloro dibenzo furan.

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