HC Deb 29 April 2002 vol 384 cc548-9W
Mr. Sayeed

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of the household waste and recycling fund announced by her Department on 26 March will be used to finance the cost of(a) collection, (b) storage and (c) recycling of waste-refrigeration units in accordance with EC Regulation No 2037/2000; and if she will make a statement. [51534]

Mr. Meacher

The £140 million Waste Minimisation and Recycling Fund is a ring-fenced grant that is designed to help local authorities in England to improve in particular, their recycling and composting performance, and waste management generally.

No proportion of the Fund has been specifically allocated for the purposes of financing the cost of (a) collection, (b) storage and (c) recycling of waste refrigeration units.

Mr. Sayeed

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance on the storage and disposal of waste-refrigeration units has been provided to(a) local authorities and (b) consumers since 4 December 2001; and if she will make a statement. [51505]

Mr. Meacher

The Environment Agency has now issued the final version of its guidance on the recovery and disposal (including storage) of refrigerators and freezers. In addition, a list of treatment companies has been placed on the DEFRA website to facilitate contact between local authorities and the waste management industry.

A leaflet for householders advising on how to dispose of old fridges, originally available only on the DEFRA website, has now been published in hard copy as well, and widely distributed. Guidance on the disposal of commercial refrigeration equipment has been placed on the website and we hope to issue a paper version shortly.