Asked by: Christopher Pincher (Independent - Tamworth)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish the (a) most recent environmental risk assessment for bound use of air pollution control residues in concrete blocks, (b) exposure levels of dioxins and heavy metals in the air when the blocks were cut, drilled or crushed in buildings and (c) scientific methodology used for measuring these levels.
Answered by Rory Stewart
In 2012 the Environment Agency’s Definition of Waste panel gave a positive end of waste opinion to the company Carbon8 for the use of air pollution control residues in concrete blocks. The company’s submission included their own risk assessment for safety and environmental impacts. We have not published, and do not intend to publish, information on the risks or the methodology relating to the binding of air pollution control residues in concrete blocks.
Asked by: Christopher Pincher (Independent - Tamworth)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many tonnes of air pollution control residues were captured at municipal energy from waste incineration facilities in 2015; and what estimate she has made of the total tonnes of air pollution control residues that will be generated by municipal energy from waste incineration facilities in 2016.
Answered by Rory Stewart
The derogation to allow the landfilling of air pollution control residues that are three times above normal waste acceptance criteria was originally granted because there was a lack of alternative treatment capacity at the time to either treat certain wastes to levels meeting normal waste acceptance limits, to treat the wastes via alternative treatment technologies or to recycle or recover the residues. The availability of sufficient alternative treatment capacity and the costs of that treatment are therefore the two central criteria that the government will use to decide whether or not to remove the derogation.
The Government is making an assessment of the quantity of air pollution control residues produced at energy from waste facilities to inform its decision on whether or not to remove the derogation to allow the landfilling of air pollution control residues that are three times above normal waste acceptance criteria. These figures will be available following the announcement of that decision.
The Government is making an assessment of the costs of the different forms of treatment for air pollution control residues, including their mixing into concrete blocks and their disposal to hazardous waste landfill, to inform its decision on whether or not to remove the derogation to allow the landfilling of air pollution control residues that are three times above normal waste acceptance criteria. These figures will be available following the announcement of that decision.
Asked by: Christopher Pincher (Independent - Tamworth)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans the Government has to improve protection for ancient woodland in (a) England and (b) Staffordshire.
Answered by George Eustice
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) requires that planning permission should be refused for any proposed development resulting in the loss or deterioration of ancient woodland unless the need for and benefits of the development in that location clearly outweigh the loss.
The Government is considering the recent recommendations of the Communities and Local Government Select Committee on the NPPF, including those on revising the wording relating to ancient woodlands and the potential for designating more ancient woodlands as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). We will respond in due course. However, Natural England is working on identifying further ancient woodland suitable for designation as SSSI.
Asked by: Christopher Pincher (Independent - Tamworth)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what support her Department is giving to Natural England for its work to update the Ancient Woodland Inventory in (a) England and (b) Staffordshire.
Answered by George Eustice
The Government provides funding and other support to Natural England to enable it to pursue its statutory functions and other responsibilities. This includes the work that it is currently undertaking with partners to update and improve the Ancient Woodland Inventory. The Inventory currently identifies all ancient woodlands in England larger than two hectares, and the majority of those in the south east that are less than two hectares as well. It is hoped that in time the Inventory will cover ancient woodlands of less than two hectares across the rest of the country, including Staffordshire.
Asked by: Christopher Pincher (Independent - Tamworth)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the projected total cost to local authorities in England and Wales of disposing municipal waste at energy from waste incineration facilities in 2015-16; and what estimate she has made of that cost if the derogation in the Waste Framework Directive allowing air pollution control residues to be disposed to hazardous landfill is removed.
Answered by Dan Rogerson
No estimates have been made of either the projected total cost to local authorities in England and Wales of disposing municipal waste at energy from waste incineration facilities in 2015-16, or the cost if the derogation in the Waste Framework Directive allowing air pollution control residues to be disposed to hazardous landfill is removed.
Asked by: Christopher Pincher (Independent - Tamworth)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the amount of municipal waste in England and Wales that will be disposed at energy from waste facilities in 2014-15.
Answered by Dan Rogerson
The latest statistical data published by Defra this November, which can be found at the link below, shows that local authority managed waste going for incineration with energy recovery was 6.2 million tonnes in 2013/14 in England. This could increase to around 7.6 million tonnes in 2014/15 based on capacity that is operational or in construction. Defra does not hold the equivalent data for Wales.
Asked by: Christopher Pincher (Independent - Tamworth)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the capacity of the waste recovery industry to recover end-of-life products from air pollution control residues in (a) 2014-15 and (b) 2015-16.
Answered by Dan Rogerson
The Environment Agency has not carried out an assessment of the capacity of the waste recovery industry to recover products that may contain air pollution control residues.
Asked by: Christopher Pincher (Independent - Tamworth)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the amount of air pollution control residues that will be captured in (a) 2014-15 and (b) 2015-16 by energy from waste facilities.
Answered by Dan Rogerson
Defra has made no estimate of the amount of air pollution control residues that will be captured in 2014-15 and 2015-16 by energy from waste facilities.