Asked by: Lord Campbell-Savours (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to appoint an independent commission free of all commercial connection to evaluate whether Oxo-Biodegradable products used in crop protection are fully biodegradable leaving no residue.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
On 8 April 2021, we published our response to the call for evidence on the need for standards for bio-based, biodegradable and compostable plastics: www.gov.uk/government/consultations/standards-for-biodegradable-compostable-and-bio-based-plastics-call-for-evidence.
While neither a specific assessment of oxo-biodegradable plastic sheeting used by farmers, nor an assessment comparing bio-based resin from starch and lactic acid in biodegradable products used in agriculture to oxo-biodegradable plastics has been made, the aforementioned call for evidence covered oxo-biodegradable plastics.
The Government response acknowledges that there is currently insufficient evidence demonstrating that oxo-biodegradable plastics perform as claimed and biodegrade, without residue, in a reasonable timeframe in the open environment. We continue to monitor the latest developments and evidence and are keen to see research published in international peer reviewed journals illustrating how these plastics degrade in the marine environment, open environment, and under the soil, specifically under naturalistic conditions, as opposed to experimental models of aging. We also welcome further research on the full environmental impacts of using bio-based plastics.
Over the coming months, we intend to commission a research project to further consider the evidence that has been supplied to the call for evidence within the context of wider literature and new research.
We do not plan to make representations to the European Commission on the usability and safety of oxo-biodegradable products in the farming industry.
Asked by: Lord Campbell-Savours (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made as to whether Oxo-Biodegradable plastic sheeting used by farmers is fully biodegradable leaving no residue.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
On 8 April 2021, we published our response to the call for evidence on the need for standards for bio-based, biodegradable and compostable plastics: www.gov.uk/government/consultations/standards-for-biodegradable-compostable-and-bio-based-plastics-call-for-evidence.
While neither a specific assessment of oxo-biodegradable plastic sheeting used by farmers, nor an assessment comparing bio-based resin from starch and lactic acid in biodegradable products used in agriculture to oxo-biodegradable plastics has been made, the aforementioned call for evidence covered oxo-biodegradable plastics.
The Government response acknowledges that there is currently insufficient evidence demonstrating that oxo-biodegradable plastics perform as claimed and biodegrade, without residue, in a reasonable timeframe in the open environment. We continue to monitor the latest developments and evidence and are keen to see research published in international peer reviewed journals illustrating how these plastics degrade in the marine environment, open environment, and under the soil, specifically under naturalistic conditions, as opposed to experimental models of aging. We also welcome further research on the full environmental impacts of using bio-based plastics.
Over the coming months, we intend to commission a research project to further consider the evidence that has been supplied to the call for evidence within the context of wider literature and new research.
We do not plan to make representations to the European Commission on the usability and safety of oxo-biodegradable products in the farming industry.
Asked by: Lord Campbell-Savours (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what evidence they have for the prevalence of COVID-19 in waste matter globally.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
International evidence on the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 virus in human faeces, urine and wastewater has been examined by the Transmission of Covid-19 in the Wider Environment Group (TWEG), an expert group commissioned by Defra.
This group published its initial findings in a report to SAGE on 12 June, on www.gov.uk, - TWEG: Evidence of wider environmental transmission of SARS-CoV-2 - and is continuing to examine new evidence as it emerges.
While the virus is present in human waste, evidence shows that it is rapidly inactivated so transmission risk from exposure to contaminated wastewater is assessed to be very low.
Asked by: Lord Campbell-Savours (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the date on which all rules that currently apply to the actions of members of the Lake District National Park Authority were approved by a Secretary of State.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
National Park Authority members are selected by constituent local authorities or parish councils or are appointed by the Secretary of State following open competition. All members appointed by the Secretary of State are governed by the Cabinet Office’s Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. This sets out the personal and professional standards expected from non-executive board members of UK public bodies and forms part of their terms of appointment. The latest version of the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies was published on GOV.UK in June 2019 and can found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/code-of-conduct-for-board-members-of-public-bodies