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Written question asked by Paul Flynn (Labour) on Thursday, 30 October 2014, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 3 November 2014. It was answered by Dan Rogerson (Liberal Democrat) on Wednesday, 5 November 2014 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Fracking

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what chemical additives with a prospective use in hydraulic fracturing have been assessed for toxicological risk and other prospective health hazards by the Joint Agencies Groundwater Directive Advisory Group (JAGDAG); and if he will publish the URL where the minutes of JAGDAG meeting may be found.

Answer

In England, for the purposes of the Water Framework Directive and Groundwater Directive, the Environment Agency has the responsibility for making determinations of substances that may be hazardous in groundwater. It will not permit the use of ‘hazardous substances’ for any activity, including hydraulic fracturing, where they would or might enter groundwater and cause pollution.

Hazardous substances are defined as those that are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic, or, for the Directives, where there are ‘equivalent levels of concern’. The Joint Agencies Groundwater Directive Advisory Group (JAGDAG) carries out peer reviews of these determinations, before recommendations are then put to public consultation. Substances that were proposed for use for hydraulic fracturing of shales in Lancashire have been assessed and were determined as non-hazardous. These were consulted on in 2012 following peer review by JAGDAG.

Information about JAGDAG, including minutes of meetings, can be found at: http://www.wfduk.org/stakeholders/jagdag-work-area-0

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
212543
Session
2014-15
Transferred
Yes
Subjects
Health hazards Fracking
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk