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Written question asked by Simon Hughes (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 1 February 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 10 February 2005. It was answered by Elliot Morley (Labour) on Thursday, 10 February 2005 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what research she has commissioned on the duration of damage to (a) soil and (b) ground water on land that was used for (i) munitions production or (ii) fireworks production; and if she will make a statement.
Answer

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research she has commissioned on the duration of damage to (a) soil and (b) ground water on land that was used for (i) munitions production or (ii) fireworks production; and if she will make a statement. [214402] Mr. Morley:The Environment Agency has published two documents regarding the potential for contamination of land at former explosives manufacturing sites (including fireworks). Both deal with the characteristics of the potential contaminants at such sites. This includes their solubility and biodegradability which can be used to indicate the likelihood of them persisting at the site and the methods required to investigate and remediate such contamination. These reports are: R and D Technical Report P5-042/TR/03 Land Contamination: Technical Guidance on Special Sites: Explosives Manufacturing and Processing Sites. Project Record P5-036/01 Collation of Toxicological Data and Development of Guideline Values for Explosive Substances, Collation of Physicochemical data. This second document is the first step in the production of Contaminated Land Exposure Assessment (CLEA) Soil Guideline Values. The Agency has also produced general guidance on the assessment of natural attenuation (the dispersion or breakdown) of contaminants in groundwater: R and D Publication 95 Guidance on the Assessment and Monitoring of Natural Attenuation of Contaminants in Groundwater Defra has two publications in its "Industry Profiles" series on munitions and firework production. This series provides information on the processes, materials and waste associated with individual industries, with respect to land contamination: Chemical Works: explosives, propellants and pyrotechnics manufacturing works; Engineering Works: mechanical engineering and ordnance works.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
430 c1670-1W; 214402
Session
2004-05
Subjects
Contamination Explosives Environment Agency Pollution Regulation Soil
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk