Green light for alternative fuels at Aberthaw

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Lafarge receive the go-ahead to evaluate two new waste-derived fuels at Aberthaw Works

LAFARGE Cement UK have received the go-ahead to use two new waste-derived fuels at their Aberthaw Works in South Wales.

The Environment Agency Wales has granted the company a permit to evaluate end-of-life tyres and solid recovered fuel (SRF) as partial replacements for more traditional fuels in the cement-making process.

These alternative fuels offer the company the opportunity save up to 15,500 tonnes of coal per annum (enough to power over 6,000 homes for a year) and reduce CO2 emissions by up to 20,000 tonnes.

Commenting on the permission, works manager James Kirkpatrick said: ‘We will now progress our plans for installing and testing equipment to incorporate and evaluate the impact of these fuels.

‘During the fuel-evaluation period, extensive emissions testing will be carried out. These data will be studied and submitted to the EA Wales for its consideration in order for a decision to be made on whether to give us permission to use these fuels on a permanent basis.’

Mr Kirkpatrick added: ‘We will continue to keep the local community informed on the progress of our evaluation of these fuels, which we hope to start using from April 2012.’