Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to enhance the monitoring of industrial pollution from (a) the new power station, (b) the Grundon energy from waste plant in Colnbrook and (c) other sites in Slough.

Industrial activities in England are regulated under the Environmental Permitting Regulations (England and Wales) 2016. All large industrial facilities, such as large combustion plants and energy from waste, are regulated by the Environment Agency (EA) and must comply with environmental permits, use best available techniques (BAT) to reduce emissions to air, water and land, and monitor and report their emissions. The BAT approach ensures standards are enhanced over time by defining the available techniques which are the best for preventing or minimising emissions and impacts on the environment.

The EA inspects and audits industrial installations to ensure they are complying with the requirements of their permits. For example, energy from waste sites have continuous air emissions monitoring for key pollutants which all plants must carry out. Smaller sites are regulated by local authorities. Control and monitoring requirements of emissions to air are set through a BAT approach which informs permit requirements.

The EA has confirmed that the current monitoring of industrial pollution of the sites it regulates in Slough meets all of the requirements set out in the Industrial Emissions Directive. There is an accreditation standard for monitoring of all industrial emissions.