| answer text |
<p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Department for Transport has not made any annual estimates
of carcinogens that are released by biofuels activity. This data is not required to
meet the mandatory sustainability criteria under the EU Renewable Energy Directive
(RED), which is applicable to biofuels supplied in the UK under the Renewable Transport
Fuel Obligation (RTFO).</p><p> </p><p>Voluntary schemes approved by the European Commission
can set criteria for aspects of biofuel production aimed at minimising adverse environmental
impacts associated with agricultural production, including on air quality, in addition
to setting sustainability criteria. In 2012/13 eighty one per cent of biofuel supplied
in the UK under the RTFO was covered by an approved voluntary scheme, the vast majority
of which include additional aspects aimed at minimising the impact on air quality
of the cultivation and harvesting of biofuel feedstocks.</p><p> </p><p>The Department
for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' Air Quality Expert Group has considered the
potential impacts of increased biofuel use on air pollutants, such as particulate
matter, and concluded that these should fall with most biofuel uptake scenarios. The
Group's Report <em>Road Transport Biofuels: Impact on UK Air Quality,</em> is published
at:</p><p><a href="http://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/assets/documents/110322_AQEG_Biofuels_advice_note.pdf"
target="_blank">http://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/assets/documents/110322_AQEG_Biofuels_advice_note.pdf</a></p><p>
</p><p>In respect of the biofuel supply chain the European Commission produced a staff
working document accompanying its renewable energy progress report to the European
Parliament in 2013 which is published at:</p><p><a href="http://ec.europa.eu/energy/renewables/reports/doc/swd_2013_0102_res_en.pdf"
target="_blank">http://ec.europa.eu/energy/renewables/reports/doc/swd_2013_0102_res_en.pdf</a></p><p>It
concluded that between 2008 and 2010, there was limited change in threats to air quality
from EU biofuel demand.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
|
|
