The company's Westbury works in Wiltshire was found to exceed limits set under the EU Waste Incineration Directive for the emissions of hydrogen chloride and oxides of nitrogen in February.
” We will continue to closely monitor the improvement work and the emissions from the site. “
– Jim Flory, Environment Agency
As a result, Lafarge was given six weeks to prove to the Agency that firm plans were in place to control the emissions (see letsrecycle.com story).
Today, the Agency confirmed that it was satisfied with the information provided by Lafarge on how it will cut down on the emissions at the kiln, which is using waste tyres to replace the use of fossil fuels.
Agency officer Jim Flory said: “We have now received all the information we requested from Lafarge and are satisfied that the new abatement equipment and improved process controls will ensure the Westbury works meets its permitted conditions.
“We will continue to closely monitor the improvement work and the emissions from the site. The emissions are set well below environmental thresholds and safety limits, so they will not affect the environment or the health of the public,” Mr Flory explained.
Timetable
Improvements to the kiln in question will be made over the next few months under an agreed timetable.
The Environment Agency said a survey of local residents in the Westbury area suggested that more than two-thirds were happy with the general quality of the environment where they live and work.
The market research, carried out by Test Research, also found that 58% of local residents were satisfied with the air quality locally, although 39% were not.
More than a third of the 500 residents surveyed about local environmental quality cited the Westbury cement works, without prompting, as an issue of concern.
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