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Metals: Exports

Volume 479: debated on Monday 21 July 2008

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will take steps to reduce the amount of scrap metal exported from the UK; what discussions he has had with colleagues from the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform on this matter; and if he will meet representatives of industry to discuss the issue. (218169)

Scrap metals are a valuable globally traded commodity and are exported to countries where there is demand. Many of the products we use are manufactured in Asia and it is environmentally beneficial to export our recyclables to markets where they will replace use of virgin material. Exports of waste from the UK must be in compliance with the requirements of the EC Waste Shipments Regulation which helps to ensure that strict environmental criteria are met and that exported metals are reprocessed in conditions that are considered broadly equivalent to those in force in the EU.

I am in regular contact with both colleagues from the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and representatives from across industry on matters relating to the metals sector.