AN environmental review by Clitheroe-based company Castle Cement has pledged to reduce emissions from one of its kilns by 15 per cent through burning a controversial liquid fuel.

The firm, which has three manufacturing sites in the UK, has set targets of reducing emissions of oxides of nitrogen by burning Cemfuel.

The Environment Agency agreed to its use in the dry process kiln in February this year.

The decision was based on trials at the plant in May last year which found emissions were the same or slightly lower when using Cemfuel.

And it says emissions of carbon dioxide and oxides of nitrogen have already declined as a result of the increased use of alternative fuels and improved process control.

Ian Walpole, Castle Cement's environment manager, said: "Castle was the pioneer in publishing a reviews of its environmental performance and targets for the future and I am delighted with the progress so far.

"As a cement manufacturer, our operations range from quarrying, through manufacturing to distribution. It is impossible for us not to impinge to some extent on any local environment,but we continue to strive to be good neighbours."

In the report, the company also says it has demonstrated "continued progress in the balance between environmental concerns and its contribution to the built environment."

It adds: "Castle Cement's particular emphasis has been on the sustainability through the control of air emissions and the prudent use of raw materials and energy by the use of recycled materials.

"We aim to do this by seeking permission to burn tyres at Ribblesdale in 2002, thus reducing the raw materials and improving environmental performance."

Castle Cement's most recent achievements, says the review, include obtaining an environmental management certificate, installing a gas scrubber to clean out sulphur dioxide, and planting 11,000 trees to screen Bellman Quarry.

The environmental review report - which is the company's second - follows a £500,000 project announced by Castle Cement in August, which will help monitor emissions released into the air. Residents who live near the cement works do not feel that air monitoring is enough and claim dust from the site has already affected their health.

Mary Horner, of Bolton-by-Bowland, said: "It isn't the first time that Castle Cement has conducted air emission monitoring and we are still none the wiser as to whether the air is actually safe or not."

And Friends of the Earth campaigners believe the factory's site in the Ribble Valley means 'plume-grounding' is inevitable, causing emissions to drift along the valley floor.