A CEMENT company has been banned from dumping waste dust in a nearby quarry after tests revealed a pollution risk.

Castle Cement has been disposing of Cement Kiln Dust (CKD) at Coplow Quarry, on the outskirts of Clitheroe, since the 1980s.

As the quarry is now getting full, the company was required to swap its Waste Management Licence for a Pollution Prevention Control certificate. This would allow it to continuing topping up with dust, but also begin working on closing off the quarry.

That application has been rejected after investigations revealed the dust could be polluting the quarry.

The site has been regularly monitored by the Environment Agency but this is the first time tests have revealed a problem.

Phil Goodwin, senior environment officer for the Agency in Lancashire, said: "The Agency does not believe a permit can be issued because there is a small but discernible risk of contamination from the quarry.

"The groundwater risk assessment submitted with the application shows traces of metal cadmium in groundwater boreholes, which appears to come from the quarry."

Cadmium is a poisonous substance which has been known to cause death.

Mr Goodwin added: "Under the European Landfill Directive, if there is any perceivable risk of such discharges then a permit cannot be issued."

The Agency now plans talks with Castle Cement to arrange the safe closure of the quarry in accordance with the European Landfill Directive. It will also look at alternatives for the disposal of CKD from the Ribblesdale plant.

Mr Goodwin added: "This puts pressure on Castle Cement to both reduce the amount of CKD produced from the cement-making process and to find an alternative to disposing it at Caplow Quarry."

The company currently has a planning application outstanding with Lancashire County Council for the use of part of Lanehead Quarry, near Chatburn, for the same purpose.

Nearly every resident in Chatburn is thought to have signed a petition opposing the plan.

Nobody was available from Castle Cement to comment.