UK Environment Agency bosses suspended the trials at Rugby Cement in Lawford Road, Rugby, last month after monitors showed the plant released high levels of particulates - chemicals believed to cause cancer - for three hours. The trials have not started again since, despite assurances from the cement company that the accident was a minor incident. Environment Agency manager David Hudson said: "The company needs to gain the trust of the local community and failures like this do not help build such trust."
Rugby Borough Council bosses are set to ask that the trials are not allowed to start again without an input from the community review group and Rugby Cement forum.
Rugby Cement business sustainability director David Evans said he felt there was no reason why the trials would not continue as soon as possible. He said: "We are in the process of responding in full to the requirements of the enforcement notice, following which we would expect to restart the trial with the full approval of the Environment Agency. "Since we started burning tyres in May, emissions monitoring has already shown that there is no adverse impact on the environment and so we see no reason why the tyre trial should not recommence as soon as possible. The incident in June was for less than three hours and, although emissions increased, the Environment Agency has stated that this was not of major environmental significance. This increase would have occurred regardless of the fuel we were using at the time and was not related to tyres."
