The Environment Agency has issued the Castle Cement’s Padeswood plant with an enforcement notice after an investigation and is even preparing to take the firm to court. The investigation was sparked by a fire on a feeder belt on July 3 that took 14 hours to extinguish.

Earlier, on May 14, there was another fire 200ft up the tower involving rubber chippings on a conveyor belt, and dust emissions have been a bone of contention with residents since the UK£54m kiln went online in July 2005.

"Environment Agency Wales has served an enforcement notice on Castle Cement, Padeswood Works, on August 9, for failing to comply with the conditions of its permit," said an EAW spokesman.

"The notice relates to two on- site fires, the release of dust emissions and failure to keep to a timetable of improvement works.

"We will be monitoring their compliance with this
enforcement notice closely. We are working with Castle Cement to improve operations at the works to avoid further breaches of its permit conditions.

"Our role is to ensure Castle Cement complies with the strict requirements of its permit. We are currently preparing to take further legal action through the courts."

A spokesman for Castle Cement confirmed an enforcement notice had been served on the plant.

"In general, the notice calls on the company to review its operating procedures and its monitoring and response programmes in the future operation of the plant.

"There are also a couple of items relating to plant updates requested in a previous enforcement notice which have slipped in time terms, so Castle is to give monthly updates on progress.

"A CCTV blind spot has been identified that affects monitoring of emissions. Castle will install additional cameras to overcome this."