the Island's sea water on ash-filled concrete blocks.

It's all part of fact-finding for the mass burn Tynes Bay incinerator.

Ash from the incinerator will be put into concrete blocks and laid in the ocean.

Permanent Secretary to the Environment Dr. James Burnett-Herkes said the project would uncover any "degradation'' to the blocks by sea water.

He added there would also be constant monitoring of the air once the incinerator was up and running.

The incinerator had been designed to meet "ambient air quality criteria and standards'', said Dr. Burnett-Herkes.

Standards would be based on scientific criteria, he added.

Dr. Burnett-Herkes said air monitoring was being carried out by the biological station on a continuous basis throughout the Island.

He added air quality regulations were being drawn up, and would be announced shortly.

Dr. Tony Knap, director of the Biological Station, said the concrete block study would take two years.

It was being headed by the station's assistant research scientist, Dr. Robbie Smith.

"We are comparing the ash-filled blocks with ordinary concrete blocks, to find out if sea water has different effects on them.'' Dr. Knap said research would disclose if there was any leaching from the blocks. And it would reveal any effect on them from sea organisms.

"It will take up to two years before we have enough statistical data. I don't want to anticipate what the research will reveal.'' Dr. Knap, however, said a similar study was done off the New Jersey coast, and no leaching was uncovered.

There was no reason to believe Bermuda's inshore waters would be any different.

Dr. Knap said the biological station received a regular grant to monitor water and air qualities.

Works Minister the Hon. Clarence Terceira said emissions from the incinerator stack would have to abide by the clean air regulations.

He said base line studies were being carried out to check the current air quality.

"We need to find out what's in the atmosphere now so we will be able to see the effects of the incinerator.

"We don't want to blame the incinerator on something which is already in the air.'' Dr. Terceira added the studies were being conducted at Castle Harbour, Tynes Bay and Prospect.