UK Agency Okays Chipped Tires for Cement Plant

The United Kingdom’s Environment Agency has announced that it is allowing Cemex UK Cement Ltd to begin trials using chipped tires as a partial substitute fuel at its Rugby cement works.

After extensive consultation and detailed consideration the agency issued Cemex a permit under the Pollution, Prevention and Control Regulations in September 2003. The permit allowed the use of up to 10 metric tons an hour of chipped tires as a partial substitute fuel subject to a trial meeting stringent success criteria.

The trial began in May 2004. However, the agency halted the trial two months later when the Environment Agency served the company with an Enforcement Notice following an increase in particulates (dust) passing up the chimney. This was due to the failure of part of the equipment designed to remove particulates.

Although there was no link between the use of tires as a fuel and the equipment failure that led to the increase in particulates, the agency wanted to ensure that the failure of the equipment was fully investigated and management systems reviewed and modified before allowing the re-commencement of the trial.

The requirements of the Enforcement Notice have been met, and the agency has decided the developments will allow the company to restart the trial runs.

“Having stopped the trial use of chipped tires as a partial substitute fuel in July 2004, we insisted the company carry out improvements to its operation. Cemex has responded positively to our concerns and the performance of the plant has improved significantly. We are now satisfied that the trial can restart,” said Paul Quinn, EA’s area environmental manager.

“Our experience of the use of tires as a partial substitute fuel at other cement works in the UK indicates that there should be environmental improvements. During the trial we shall continue to inspect and monitor the performance of the plant and we will not hesitate to take swift action should there be any breach of the stringent permit conditions.”