§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent research has been carried out(a) by and (b) for her Department on the levels of persistent and bio-accumulative chemicals in the food chain and environment in the Thames Estuary. [153111]
§ Mr. MorleyThe Department has not recently undertaken research specifically on the levels of persistent and bio-accumulative chemical in the food chain and environment in the Thames Estuary. However, the Environment Agency has an on-going monitoring programme in the Thames Estuary which includes the following persistent and bio-accumulative substances
1,2,3 trichlorobenzene; 1,2,4 trichlorobenzene; 1,3,5 trichlorobenzene; Aldrin; Anthracene: Benzo (a) pyrene; DDE (pp); DOT (op); DOT (pp); DOT total; Dieldrin; Drins total; Endosulphan a; Endosulphan b; Endrin; Fenitrothion; HCB; HCH alpha; HCH beta; HCH delta; HCH gamma; HCH Total; Hexachlorobenzene; Hexachlorobutadiene; Isodrin; Lambdacyhalothrin: PCB 101; PCB 118; PCB 138; PCB 153; PCB 180; PCB 28; PCB 52; PCB Total (Congeners 28,52, 101,118,138,153,180); TDE (pp); Tributyltin; Trichlorobenzene total; TrifluralinIn addition, the Food Standards Agency has a statutory monitoring programme to detect marine biotoxins in shellfish sampled from shellfish harvesting waters. The Agencies also keep abreast of research relating to Thames Estuary, including a recent study on tributyl tin levels.