Hope Works seeks permission to burn PSP
FOLLOWING extensive consultation with local people, Lafarge Cement UK’s Hope Works, in Derbyshire, has now submitted an application to the Environment Agency for permission to use processed sewage pellets (PSP) as an additional sustainable fuel.
The company issued a newsletter to 5,000 homes and held two exhibitions to ensure the local community were aware of its plans and had the opportunity to put forward views and ask questions about the proposed new fuel.
Prompted by increased competition in the cement market and a serious downturn in demand for construction products, Lafarge plan to use PSP at Hope Works as a way of maintaining environmental performance, but also controlling rising energy costs.
PSP is made from the sludge that remains after sewage treatment. This is then further heat-treated, making it as harmless as garden soil. In some parts of the country the material is used as an agricultural fertilizer. PSP is already used as an effective fuel in the cement-making process in many countries including Spain, Austria and France. It has also been used for more than six years at Lafarge Cement’s plant in Cauldon, Staffordshire.
‘We are committed to open communications about our operations and it was important that we consulted with our neighbours and stakeholders about our plans for this new fuel,’ commented Hope Works manager Ashley Bryan.
‘We were pleased to receive so many responses to our newsletter, and to welcome over 40 people to our exhibitions. In addition, we took members of our community liaison committee over to our sister plant, Cauldon Works, where they have been using this fuel for over six years.
‘We are working hard to maintain a good cost position and protect employment here at Hope Works. Extending the range of sustainable waste-derived fuels we can use offers us a good way to keep a check on our costs, which have been escalating due to the volatility and high price of energy.
‘The use of fuels such as PSP also helps us achieve environmental benefits, through reducing the amount of fossil fuels we use, and reducing the amount of waste products that end up being destroyed with no energy recovery.
‘An additional benefit is that the use of PSP will help us achieve a reduction in our CO2 emissions and, therefore, help us meet future targets set by the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EUETS). It is estimated that by using 30,000 tonnes of PSP, 20,000 tonnes of coal will be replaced and emissions of CO2 will be reduced by approximately 50,000 tonnes.’
Lafarge have submitted their application to the Environment Agency and hope to start using and evaluating the fuel in the late summer/early autumn.
The company issued a newsletter to 5,000 homes and held two exhibitions to ensure the local community were aware of its plans and had the opportunity to put forward views and ask questions about the proposed new fuel.
Prompted by increased competition in the cement market and a serious downturn in demand for construction products, Lafarge plan to use PSP at Hope Works as a way of maintaining environmental performance, but also controlling rising energy costs.
PSP is made from the sludge that remains after sewage treatment. This is then further heat-treated, making it as harmless as garden soil. In some parts of the country the material is used as an agricultural fertilizer. PSP is already used as an effective fuel in the cement-making process in many countries including Spain, Austria and France. It has also been used for more than six years at Lafarge Cement’s plant in Cauldon, Staffordshire.
‘We are committed to open communications about our operations and it was important that we consulted with our neighbours and stakeholders about our plans for this new fuel,’ commented Hope Works manager Ashley Bryan.
‘We were pleased to receive so many responses to our newsletter, and to welcome over 40 people to our exhibitions. In addition, we took members of our community liaison committee over to our sister plant, Cauldon Works, where they have been using this fuel for over six years.
‘We are working hard to maintain a good cost position and protect employment here at Hope Works. Extending the range of sustainable waste-derived fuels we can use offers us a good way to keep a check on our costs, which have been escalating due to the volatility and high price of energy.
‘The use of fuels such as PSP also helps us achieve environmental benefits, through reducing the amount of fossil fuels we use, and reducing the amount of waste products that end up being destroyed with no energy recovery.
‘An additional benefit is that the use of PSP will help us achieve a reduction in our CO2 emissions and, therefore, help us meet future targets set by the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EUETS). It is estimated that by using 30,000 tonnes of PSP, 20,000 tonnes of coal will be replaced and emissions of CO2 will be reduced by approximately 50,000 tonnes.’
Lafarge have submitted their application to the Environment Agency and hope to start using and evaluating the fuel in the late summer/early autumn.
