HC Deb 18 July 2002 vol 389 c476W
Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the level of water supply in the UK carried through blue asbestos pipes. [39243]

Mr. Meacher

[holding answer 28 February 2002]The principal asbestos constituent of water supply pipes has been white asbestos. No water supply in the UK is carried through pipes constructed in blue asbestos, although traces of blue and brown asbestos are likely to have been present in the white asbestos construction materials.

Regional use of asbestos cement water supply pipes varied considerably but approximately 10 per cent. of existing pipes in the UK are believed to consist of that material.

The World Health Organisation included an opinion on asbestos cement pipes in their 1993 edition of "Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality". The guidelines include the following statement "Although well studied, there has been little convincing evidence of the carcinogenicity of ingested asbestos in epidemiological studies of populations with drinking water supplies containing high concentrations of asbestos. Moreover in extensive studies in animal species, asbestos has not consistently increased the incidence of tumours of the gastrointestinal tract."