CASTLE CEMENT has been hit with Environment Agency action after complaints about smells from its Ribblesdale Works in Clitheroe.

The agency served an enforcement notice on the company yesterday, ordering it to review its operations and it responded by slowing emissions from Cemfuel burning kilns five and six.

The company said it stopped burning Cemfuel as soon as the notice was issued.

It followed complaints that persistent odours were causing offence in the area around the site in the previous 24 hours.

Agency inspectors investigated the complaints and found Castle to be in breach, or likely to be in breach, of its authorisation to operate.

Castle, which was hit with a similar enforcement notice last year, cut production at the site but today said it was "disappointed" that the enforcement notice had been served without the company being contacted first. The Environment Agency says the situation will continue to be monitored throughout the weekend.

General manager of the Ribblesdale Works, Ian Sutheran, said the weather yesterday had created conditions in which the plume did not disperse well. The company had slowed kilns five and six to reduce emissions from the chimney serving them.

"When it became apparent that the plume dispersion was not as good as it should have been we took immediate action to minimise the impact," said Mr Sutheran.

"We are disappointed that on this occasion the Environment Agency served an enforcement notice without first contacting the company as we already have a protocol in place to cut production should such an incident occurs."

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