Written question asked by Lee Rowley (Conservative) on Friday, 26 April 2019, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 30 April 2019. It was answered by Baroness Coffey (Conservative) on Friday, 3 May 2019 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Fracking: Landfill

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many landfill sites in the UK are permitted to dispose of (a) waste water sludge, (b) sand and (c) filter cake produced from hydraulic fracturing operations.

Answer: Any sand or sludge resulting from hydraulic fracturing operations will form in the filter cake that is produced as part of the waste water treatment process. This solid waste needs to be tested to determine if it is hazardous or non-hazardous before it can be disposed of at a landfill site. Depending on the results, the filter cake can be sent to any landfill site that has the necessary permits in place. There are currently 21 hazardous waste landfill sites and 245 non-hazardous waste landfill sites permitted in England.

Secondary information