Clause 22 - ''Landfill''
Waste and Emissions Trading Bill [Lords]
9:30 am
Mr Michael Meacher (Minister of State (the Environment), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Oldham West and Royton, Labour)
As the hon. Gentleman observed, I have made careful investigation into the matter, and I am assured that a temperature of 70ºC would kill all harmful animal pathogens. The Government have no reason to believe that heating to 70ºC for at least one hour is not adequate for preventing any conceivable
return of foot and mouth or other animal health diseases.
I take the points made by my hon. Friends the Members for Sherwood and for Stroud (Mr. Drew) about the composting industry. It is an important part of the overall network, and I met representatives of it at an annual meeting about six months ago in the midlands. They pressed me strongly, but I probably disappointed them by saying that my overriding priority was to prevent any conceivable chink that could allow a recurrence of foot and mouth. I still think that that is the right position, but, consistent with that, we want to see a flourishing composting industry.
My hon. Friend the Member for Sherwood noted that home composting is an important part of the whole. The problem for local authority targets is being able to include home composters in the target when no verifiable standard is applied to them. I understand that the Environment Agency is examining the problem and seeking a way of accurately measuring home composting. It would be far better if it could be included, as it is a valuable contribution to the overall requirement. It is a matter of finding a way that is reliable and which does not constitute, as the hon. Member for Lewes said, a loophole.
My hon. Friend the Member for Stroud also stressed that composting and the use of natural processes should not be ruled out. I absolutely agree. That is the best form of recovery. Composting provides for an alternative and useful resource. The use of natural processes obviously represents the best approach. I am very keen to find a way of including home composting within the overall network. I hope that I have answered the points that have been made. I see that the hon. Member for Leominster (Mr. Wiggin) is shaking his head. He still wants 98ºC; he prefers sludge.