Westbury Cement Works rules-out importing waste for 'alternative fuels'

7.06.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 24th Nov 2005

Wiltshire County Council has announced plans to convert local waste into a substitute for coal for Westbury cement works, reducing the council's need for landfill sites. The news follows a commitment not to import waste products from the cement works' manager under questioning from Cllr Duncan Hames at a meeting hosted by West Wiltshire District Council.

At the meeting of the district council's Community Liaison Group for the area surrounding the works, the local manager assured councillors and other representatives that they were not looking to import fuel products. He explained that this was too costly unless for very complex waste treatment and that Lafarge were 'not in that business'.

Duncan Hames in front of Lafarge's cement works at Westbury

"I welcome Lafarge's commitment to rule-out importing waste products." says Cllr Duncan Hames.

"Some Bio Mass fuels under consideration by the company hold out the prospect of a more environmentally sustainable future for the works, but the County Council's proposals raise many questions. I hope that the County Council will give the community the opportunity to ask them about their plans in the same forum that Lafarge has co-operated with recently." observed Cllr Hames.

"It is disappointing that they felt unable to do so when the Community Liaison Group last met earlier this month." he added.

Plans to burn solvents (RLF) at the works have been abandoned after the company's research concluded that a sustainable supply chain could not be sourced.