UK environmental  lawyers are asking officials to close down Rugby Cement - just days before a decision will be made into whether it should burn tyres.

Specialist solicitors working on behalf of pressure group Rugby in Plume have once again alleged that the plant is in breach of planning permission, and have renewed their call for a complete shutdown of the Lawford Road base.

The news comes just days before the Environment Agency (EA) is set to announce its decision into the tyre-burning controversy.

After weeks of public consultation, and submissions from Rugby Borough Council, the EA will decide on January 31 whether Cemex, who own the plant, can burn tyres as a form of alternative fuel.

Rugby Cement has already conducted trials into tyre-burning and said they were successful.

But campaigners argue that there is insufficient data to prove that it is safe in the long term.

Environmental lawyers said that the decision to turn it into a co-incinerator is irrelevant if the plant has to be closed down on a planning technicality.

They claim that previous letters sent to Warwickshire County Council warning about the breach have been ignored, and they will now step up their campaign in light of this.

[Source: Rugby Advertiser, UK]