COUNCILLORS have cautiously backed the re-introduction of a toxic waste fuel at a Clitheroe cement works amid claims by campaigners that a pollution-busting gas scrubber at the site is not working properly.

Cemfuel was introduced at Castle Cement's Ribblesdale works in 1992, but withdrawn from kiln seven two years ago following concern about haze and smell.

A £5 million gas scrubber was fitted to the kiln last year, which the firm claims has tackled the problem of plume-grounding - where emissions from the chimney fall to ground. The company has now applied to the Environment Agency for permission to re-introduce Cemfuel to kiln seven.

It also wants to burn other wastes, including substantial quantities of construction industry waste, a meeting of Ribble Valley Council's community committee heard.

But one campaign group wants the plan rejected and claims kiln seven is unsuitable to burn the wastes. If the Environment Agency gives the go-ahead, six months of trials will start in the spring, during which there will be comprehensive monitoring of emissions, fuel, raw materials and cement quality.

Ribble Valley councillors have said the trials should cease as soon as the results become available and can be analysed.

Coun Frank Dyson said: "I can see nothing in principle against the introduction of the burning of new materials at the site, particularly the tremendous waste from the building trade. But in the past we have been subject to experimentation, not only by Castle Cement, but also by the Environment Agency. These so-called trials have turned into continuous use and the burning of Cemfuel and other wastes in kiln seven should cease at the end of the trial period."

But campaign group Air Watch claimed there were recently two malfunctions at kiln seven which resulted in larger than normal emissions being released into the atmosphere.

"We are calling on the Environment Agency to reject this application out-of-hand. The kiln is not stable." campaigner Mary Horner said.

A spokesman for Castle Cement confirmed the scrubber had malfunctioned twice on December 16.

He said: "It was off-line for a matter of minutes. During this time the appearance of the plume may have changed slightly.

"Kiln seven is perfectly stable and can most definitely meet the requirements which will be placed upon it as part of our application to re-introduce Cemfuel."

The Environment Agency is consulting parish councils and environmental groups about the proposal.

An exhibition by Castle Cement about the plan took place Clitheroe Parish Hall earlier this week.

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