Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the UKHSA's guidance entitled Epidemiological evidence review in the UK and EU, following implementation of the Waste Incineration Directive, published on 9 June 2025, what assessment his Department has made of that guidance; and what role his Department played in (a) drafting the guidance and (b) reviewing the draft guidance.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is consulted by the Environment Agency (EA) on environmental permit applications to operate municipal waste incinerators (MWIs), in their role as regulator in England. UKHSA reviews the latest scientific evidence on the health impacts of emissions from MWIs. The overall evidence analysed by UKHSA does not suggest an association between exposure to emissions from modern well-run incinerators and adverse physical health effects.

UKHSA reviewed epidemiological studies in European countries with measured physical human health outcomes which were published after implementation of the Waste Incineration Directive in 2000. This criterion ensured that the studies considered in the review were applicable to United Kingdom MWIs and considered health effects from the emissions from the incineration process only. UKHSA will continue to review its advice as new evidence on the health effects of incinerators is published in peer-reviewed journals.

The Department of Health and Social Care has noted the guidance which has been provided to relevant departments and their agencies. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs leads on waste management policy and the legislation relating to MWI, and the EA regulate MWI under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016, which are available at the following link:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2016/1154/contents

UKHSA responds to consultations on environmental permits received from the EA.