§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will list the locations of incinerators in England and Wales(a) which are operational, (b) where permission has been given but they are not yet operational and (c) where a planning application has been submitted but has not yet been determined. [3142]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 10 July 2001]The Environment Agency reports that there are 11 municipal waste incinerators currently operational in England and Wales, marked in the table as "O". The table includes details of facilities which are under construction or approved but not yet constructed. Details of facilities where a planning application has been submitted but not yet determined are not held centrally. However, the table includes those planned sites that we are aware of.
There are many other incinerators, generally much smaller than municipal waste incinerators, for the incineration of sewage sludge, hazardous waste, clinical waste, production waste from factories etc. Generally, the larger plant are regulated by the Environment Agency and details of their locations are available on the Environment Agency's public register except where incinerators are part of another process regulated by the Agency, where they may not be shown separately on the register. Smaller 1057W non-hazardous incineration plant are regulated by local authorities; the Department holds general information but detailed information is held separately by each local authority on a public register.
Plant name District Status Nottingham Nottingham O Edmonton London Borough of Enfield O SELCHP London Borough of Lewisham O Belvedere London Borough of Bexley P Edmonton B London Borough of Enfield P Cleveland Stockton on Tees O Bolton Bolton O Chineham, North Baskingstoke Baskingstoke and Deane A Allington Maidstone A Capel, Surrey Mole Valley P Guildford Guildford P Colnbrook, Slough Slough A Marchwood New Forest A Redhill Reigate and Banstead Borough Council P Ridham Dock Swale District Council P South Portsmouth Portsmouth P Coventry Coventry O Dudley Dudley O Stoke on Trent Stoke on Trent O Tyseley Birmingham O Wolverhampton Wolverhampton O Worcester Worcester District Council P Goole East Riding of Yorkshire P Grimsby North East Lincolnshire P Hull City of Hull P Kirklees Kirklees U/C Sheffield Sheffield O Wrexham Wrexham P Crymlyn Burrows Neath Port Talbot U/C O Operational
U/C Under construction
A Approved but not yet constructed
P Planned
§ Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans her Department has to(a) conduct and (b) commission research into the environmental and health impact of waste incineration; and if she will make a statement. [3899]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 13 July 2001]There is already a large body of research on incineration, but we are looking at what more needs to be done and the current Environmental Protection research programme contains a prospective project on possible "Health Effects of Incinerators".
§ Andrew MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what level of dioxins is considered potentially lethal; what dioxins are produced in incineration of waste; and if she will make a statement on the methods of disposal of them. [4866]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 18 July 2001]There is no evidence on which to base a level at which dioxins are potentially lethal to humans. Studies on humans who have been exposed to high levels of dioxins as a result of accidents or occupational exposure have reported a range of effects such as chloracne, an increased risk of cancer, changes in biochemical parameters such as enzyme levels and increases in mortality from cardiovascular disease, although there remains uncertainty about the direct causal link with dioxins. It is not known exactly what level of dioxins the people in these studies were exposed to but body burdens were at least one order of magnitude higher than in the general population. The Committee on1058W Toxicity (COT) is currently undertaking a comprehensive review of the toxicity of dioxins and will report their findings later this year.
A mixture of dioxins is produced in incineration of waste—they are formed on particles as the gases leaving the incinerator cool down. The gas treatment system reduces the particles and dioxins levels to the limits prescribed in the Waste Incineration Directive (total concentration of dioxins and furans 0.1ng toxic equivalents/m3 averaged over 6–8 hours). Disposal of material contaminated with dioxins—such as fly ash—is normally to special landfill where they are contained, do not leach, and will pose no risk to health or the environment.
§ Mr. Peter AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her Department's policy is on large-scale waste incineration. [7886]
§ Mr. MeacherIncineration of waste should only be considered where recycling is not feasible or is not the best practicable environmental option.
Our policy is that where waste incineration facilities are proposed, they should be small enough that they do not act as a disincentive to increases in recycling, and should include Combined Heat and Power—where heat is used to produce electricity and provide heating to homes or businesses—wherever possible.
§ Mr. SayeedTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to compensate those living in the vicinity of proposed municipal incinerators; and if she will make a statement. [7756]
§ Mr. MeacherMunicipal incinerator plants will only be built once the full planning process has been completed. The local planning authority is responsible for the determination of any relevant planning permission, including the imposition of any appropriate conditions. We have no plans to compensate residents living in the vicinity of proposed municipal incinerators.
The Environment Agency will regulate the environmental performance of such plants. Its permits contain legally binding conditions concerning operational requirements. The Environment Agency will regularly inspect the incinerators and require the reporting of emissions and performance.
§ Mr. SayeedTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what consideration she has given to a moratorium on new municipal incinerators; and if she will make a statement. [7755]
§ Mr. BaronTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to introduce a moratorium on new municipal incinerators; and if she will make a statement. [6214]
§ Mr. MeacherI refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Ashford (Mr. Green) on 2 July 2001,Official Report, column 47W.