HC Deb 04 March 2003 vol 400 c896W
Norman Baker

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when proposed new recycling plants related to the recycling of refrigerators will come online; and what their capacity will be, broken down by region. [99229]

Mr. Meacher

10 fixed plants have already come online in Oldham, Willesden, Wallasey, Knighton, Bromsfield, Bradford, St Helens, Cradley Heath, Newport and Billingham. Each has a capacity of around 300k units per year. Plans are advanced for a further six plants in Chesterfield, Hertford, Wolverhampton, Sheffield, Birmingham and Kettering. One mobile plant, with a capacity of around 150k units per year, has been licensed to operate in Lewes, South Wales and Swindon.

Norman Baker

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many refrigerators and freezers are being stored by each local authority pending disposal or recycling. [99230]

Mr. Meacher

There are no figures on the numbers of refrigerators and freezers being stored by local authority area. Most local authorities have already let contracts with fridge treatment companies so their backlog will have been removed. To monitor the disposal of refrigerators, we have asked local authorities to report on the number of fridges they have dealt with as part of the national waste monitoring questionnaire.

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