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Waste Management

Answer

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (referred to collectively as dioxins here) are a group of 210 closely related toxic chemicals that can be formed as by-products in some chemical processes and in various combustion processes. The most recent available data on the emissions of dioxins to air are from 2003 and are available from the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory funded by Defra (www.naei.org.uk). Estimated emissions of dioxins from municipal waste incineration made up less than 1 per cent of the UK’s total emissions for that year, while residential combustion plants made up approximately 1.5 per cent. However, it should be noted that emission factors from open burning, bonfires and domestic combustion are known to be particularly uncertain. Measures that have already been taken to reduce dioxin emissions include controls on industrial processes such as incineration, on open agricultural burning and on emissions from vehicles. Such measures have led to substantial decreases in the levels of dioxins in the UK over the past 10 years. The UK is in the process of developing a UK dioxins action plan which will set out the current situation on dioxins and will identify priorities for future actions. The action plan will be based on the results of a public consultation carried out by Defra in 2002 on dioxins and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls in the UK environment (available on the Defra website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/consult/dioxins/index.htm), and input from a dioxins strategy group which was established to inform its development. The dioxins action plan will form a substantial part of the UK's national implementation plan for the Stockholm convention on persistent organic pollutants. This is a global treaty which aims to protect human health and the environment from exposure to certain substances and includes dioxins. The Government intend to go to public consultation on the UK national implementation plan later this year.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

7363; 685 c122-3WA

Session

2005-06

Subjects

Air pollution Domestic waste Fires Pollution control Dioxins

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk