Lyn Fraley - 5-Feb-2007 - The Environment Agency announced
today (Monday 5 February 2007) that it will allow Cemex
to use tyres as a substitute fuel at its cement plant in
Rugby, following a strictly-controlled and monitored trial.
Area Environment Manager, Ian Withers, says: "We have
studied the report and the results of the tyre trial in
great detail before coming to this decision. We are satisfied
that Cemex has met the requirements of its Permit and can
now burn tyres in accordance with the conditions in the
Permit.
"Our role is to make sure that Cemex uses the best
available techniques to protect human health and the environment.
I want to reassure people that we would not have made this
decision unless we were completely satisfied that the impact
of burning tyres would not be detrimental, compared with
standard fuels. Amongst other things the trial has shown
that burning tyres results in a reduction in nitrogen oxides,
when compared to burning traditional fuels. This will reduce
the level of nitrogen dioxide in the Rugby environment.
"In our experience, few applications have been subjected
to such intense scrutiny and debate as this one. We have
committed substantial resources to engaging with and informing
the public over an extended period of time and we have ensured
that people’s views have been taken into account in making
our decision.
"We understand our responsibilities to the people
of Rugby and we will continue to monitor the site to ensure
that the company operates in line with the strict conditions
in their Permit. We have already demonstrated that we are
prepared to stop the plant operating, and even prosecute
if necessary, should Cemex not adhere to the Permit conditions."
Under the Tyres Protocol, Cemex was encouraged to undertake
three months’ public consultation and prepare a detailed
report of the trial. We assessed the report and addressed
any issues raised by consultees to decide whether the use
of tyres as a partial substitute fuel could continue. We
have made today’s decision based on the company’s ability
to meet a number of "Critical Success factors",
which were set by us before the trial started.
Now that we have made the decision, our next step is to
prepare the Decision Document, which will be placed on the
public register at the Environment Agency’s office in Tewkesbury
and at Rugby Borough Council offices as soon as possible.
It is likely to be available within 14 days.
Notes to Editor
Background:
On 16 August 2001 the Rugby Group Limited (now Cemex) submitted
an application for a Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC)
Permit, which included a proposal to burn used chipped tyres
as a partial substitute (up to 40%) for the normal fuel,
coal and petcoke.
We agreed with the applicant that the application would
be dealt with under the requirements of our Tyres Protocol
that sets out a preferred method of consultation to be employed
prior to and during the determination of an application
to burn used tyres in cement kilns.
The operator consulted widely on the application, and was
allowed additional time to consult with the public, the
Warwickshire Health Authority, Rugby Primary Care Trust,
English Nature (now Natural England) the Food Standards
Agency and Rugby Borough Council. Warwickshire County Council
and the Health and Safety Executive were also consulted
although they are not statutory consultees for this Application.
A number of public meetings were held in late 2001 and
spring of 2002. We carried out further public consultation
by means of a local discussion "surgery" in March
2002 to which an open invitation was extended. We have also
regularly attended the Rugby Cement Community Forum.
The tyre trial began on 19 May 2004, but stopped on 1 July
2004 following an incident at the plant. Although the incident
was not connected in any way with the use of tyres as a
fuel, we decided that the company must demonstrate to us
that they could operate responsibly before we would allow
the tyre trial to recommence.
Formal trials re-started on 21 October 2005, and lasted
until 26 December 2005. Under our Tyres Protocol, Cemex
then had to submit its report on the trial for three months’
public consultation before we would assess it to decide
whether the use of tyres as a partial substitute fuel could
continue.
We received the report on 24 October 2006. Since then we
have been studying the evidence presented in the report
and the results of our own monitoring systems.
Under the requirements of the Tyres Protocol, in order
to be granted a Permit to burn tyres as a partial substitute
fuel on an ongoing basis, Cemex had to demonstrate to us
that it could meet the following success factors, set by
the Environment Agency before the trial started:
there will be no net environmental detriment to the local
environment resulting from a change in emissions caused
by the use of tyres as a substitute fuel. This assessment
will be based on the methodology in H1 (Agency Horizontal
Guidance Note: Environmental Assessment and Approval of
BAT and will take into account other benchmark criteria
established to protect the environment and human health.
The process efficiency when using tyres will not decrease
(subject to normal variations). This includes the amount
of waste produced. Waste in this case includes recycled
materials or reworked clinker.
All inspections by Agency officers of the tyre trials will
produce acceptable assessments in line with existing Agency
compliance assessment tools including the Operator Performance
Risk Assessment (OPRA) and Operator Monitoring Assessment
(OMA).
There will be no increase in abnormal operations as a result
of using tyres, including Electrostatic Precipitator (EP)
trips.
Emission Limit Values (ELVs) will be complied with at all
times.
The Operator will demonstrate that modulating fuel feeds
between coal and tyres can be achieved without adversely
affecting kiln stability or emissions.
The monitoring information obtained for the baseline and
trial periods will be quality assured to ensure it is representative
and complies with at least the requirements of the Tyres
Protocol.