HC Deb 10 November 2003 vol 413 cc6-7W
Mr. Quentin Davies

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what quantities of CFC have been collected and safely destroyed from the licensed facilities operating in the UK under EU Regulation 2037/2000 on Ozone Depleting Substances in each year since implementation of the regulations. [133302]

Mr. Morley

[holding answer 30 October 2003]We are currently collating the figures and we will write to the hon. Member as soon as they are available.

Mr. Quentin Davies

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost to public funds has been of implementing EU Regulation 2037/2000 on Ozone Depleting Substances in each year since implementation of the regulations. [133303]

Mr. Morley

[holding answer 30 October 2003]Most of the enforcement of EC Regulation 2037/2000 is carried out by agencies during the normal course of their duties. There are no estimates available of costs specifically related to this. The Environment Agency does not monitor the costs of implementing individual regulations. Charges are levied for applications and subsistence on waste management licences for storage and treatment sites and the Agency seeks to recover relevant costs, including site supervision.

However, with respect to waste implications of the Regulation, the principal public costs have fallen on local authorities. Local authorities in England received £40 million to assist with the costs of storing and processing refrigerators and freezers in 2002–03. This was in addition to £6 million provided for the period 1 January 2002 to 31 March 2002. Spending Review 2002 included future funding within the Environmental, Protective and Cultural Services block which will be distributed through Formula Standard Shares (FSAs).

Mr. Quentin Davies

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether local authorities are permitted to offer contracts for the purpose of compliance with EU Regulation 2037/2000 on Ozone Depleting Substances to licensed facilities whose recycling plants have not passed validation tests. [133305]

Mr. Morley

[holding answer 30 October 2003]This issue is regulated through the duty of care under section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 which requires that the holder of waste:(a) may only pass it on to an authorised person such as a waste management licence holder or a person authorised for transport purposes, for example a registered carrier of controlled waste, and (b) should take all reasonable measures to prevent the fly tipping of waste or the escape of the waste from his control or that of any other person.

Generally, a fridge recycler cannot treat fridges until the recycling plant has been licensed and validated. However, the recycler or another party might properly store such fridges at a licensed storage site, pending treatment. Up until October 2002, the Environment Agency allowed operators to make applications and store fridges pending their determination. A local authority, for instance, could lawfully establish contracts with such operators in the expectation that their fridges would not be treated immediately.