Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of the opening of additional incinerators on (a) UK air quality and (b) the level of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere from such new plants.

As part of the environmental permitting process for new incinerator plants, the regulator is required to make an assessment of the environmental impact of each site and to set limit values in the environmental permit for emissions to air of a wide range of key pollutants. These atmospheric emissions are subject to a strict monitoring regime. The emissions of individual incinerators can be found using the following link: http://naei.beis.gov.uk/data/map-large-source.

The Global Warming Potential (GWP) of a waste incineration plant is assessed as part of the permitting process undertaken by the regulator, taking into account emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) as well as nitrous oxide. The regulator assesses the equivalent amount of CO₂ that the plant will emit against the European standards to ensure that the plant is using best available techniques to minimise GWP.

If issued, permits will contain a requirement for the operator to review opportunities for improving energy efficiency at least every four years and thereby reduce CO₂ emissions where possible.