Written question asked by Martyn Jones (Labour) on Thursday, 18 October 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 22 October 2007. It was answered by Anne McGuire (Labour) on Wednesday, 24 October 2007 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Industrial Health and Safety: Formaldehyde

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Government will adopt the recommendations of the European Commission's Scientific Committee on Occupational Exposure Limits to reduce occupational exposure limit values for formaldehyde to 0.2 ppm for eight-hour time weighted average and to 0.4 ppm for short-term exposure limits up to 15 minutes.

Answer: The Government do not intend to adopt the recommendations on formaldehyde from the European Commission's Scientific Committee on occupational exposure limits, at the current time.However, discussions are currently ongoing within the European Commission on whether or not to include formaldehyde in the annex to a future indication occupational exposure limit values (IOELV) directive, and if so at what level. We anticipate the Commission will present a proposal to the Luxembourg Advisory Committee on Safety and Health in November.Should an IOELV be agreed for formaldehyde in a future Commission directive, the UK Government will take that limit into account when setting their own domestic limit.

Secondary information