Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what environmental studies have been undertaken by her Department in Hemel Hempstead to assess the consequences of the Buncefield oil depot fire and subsequent explosion. [47823]
Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 2 February 2006]: The main environmental consequences of concern relate to possible contamination of surface and ground waters, safety of drinking water supplies and gaseous and particulate emissions to the atmosphere.
Efforts to contain contaminated water and fuel were largely successful; firewater on the site has now been removed and is stored in secure off-site storage tanks. The site is still under the control of the Health and Safety Executive and Police and a detailed site investigation is under way. Drinking water sources in the surrounding area continue to be monitored and to date have shown no impacts attributable to the Buncefield incident.
Recent investigations have revealed that a road drain immediately to the north of the site contains a borehole extending into the underlying strata that contains a black liquid, which is currently being analysed. The Environment Agency will continue to monitor the situation and work with the Drinking Water Inspectorate, local water companies, the Health Protection Agency, the site operators and other relevant bodies to carry out these investigations and develop any remedial action necessary. Three Valleys Water have been informed of these findings, but the company is not currently abstracting from the nearby boreholes. More information, results from analysis and further sampling will be needed before the EA can clarify the extent of any groundwater pollution.
Regarding emissions to air, the main air pollutants of concern from hydrocarbon fuel fires are emitted as particulate matter especially those particles of respirable size (referred to as PM1 0), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, measured as benzo(a) pyrene. In the very high temperatures of the fire (3000oC) however all organic chemicals will be completely destroyed. There is the possibility that in the cooler margins of the fire and during the relatively short period at the end of the fire, some of the products of incomplete combustion at the lower temperatures may be hazardous.
Monitoring undertaken close to the fire when the fire brigade began to attack the blaze did pick up elevated areas of particulates and of hydrocarbon solvents for a short period but this was foreseen and, provided that the warnings given beforehand were complied with, no public health effects are envisaged. None of the data from later air monitoring indicated any values that were outside the normal range of ambient air levels.
There is no ongoing risk to air quality from the Buncefield fire as the pollutants have been widely dispersed through the atmosphere and, in general, have had no discernable impact on background levels of pollution. The following exceptions were consistent with the footprint of the plume and may have been associated with its descent to ground level. On the evening of Sunday 11 and early in the morning of Monday 12 December, monitoring sites in parts of east Surrey and Sussex detected PM 1 0 particulate concentrations reaching 'moderate' levels in Horsham and Lewes. Monitoring sites in north London and St. Albans also showed slightly elevated concentrations, but remained in the 'low' air pollution band.
On the evening of Tuesday 13, PM 1 0 particulate was detected at the Barnet 2 background sites and on the morning of Wednesday 14, PM 1 0 particulate was detected at the Watford 1 site. In both cases concentrations remained 'low'. Throughout the period of the fire 'moderate' PM 1 0 particulate was measured at several roadside sites in London. This was due to road transport sources and was not directly related to the smoke from the oil depot fire. 'Moderate' PM 1 0 concentrations at the Chichester 1 site were due to nearby road resurfacing.
Levels of pollution in the UK during the course of the fire were therefore within the normal range of ambient air levels at each location, and are not considered exceptional.
A report of the supplementary air quality monitoring carried out by Defra at the time of the fire is currently in preparation and is planned for publication in March 2006. The Health Protection Agency is currently carrying out an assessment of the impacts on human health of the Buncefield fire. There have been no substantive immediate health effects reported from the areas affected by the fire and plume. A multi-agency surveillance steering group, chaired by the Health Protection Agency, is working on projects to assess whether any long-term effects (physical, psychological and toxic) might occur and work-streams are proceeding.
Regarding emissions of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, I refer the hon. Member to the Minister of State for Environment's reply to a Question from the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker), published in on 9 January 2006, Official Report, column 10W. | 
