The trust board of West Wiltshire Primary Care Trust has raised no objections to the recycled liquid fuel (RLF) trials at the Lafarge works in Westbury. Dr Pamela Akerman, acting director of public health explained: “We are reassured by the fact that trials at other cement works burning this and similar fuels have led to only modest changes in emissions.”
Dr Mark Evans of the Wiltshire Health Protection Unit added: “It will be a six-month trial and it can be stopped at any time if there is concern about the emissions. None of us, Lafarge included, want to see any dangerous emissions put in to the atmosphere. There will be very close monitoring and Lafarge is suggesting to the Environmental Agency 16 sites for monitoring the emissions.”
Meanwhile, campaigners against the trials have vowed to continue fighting the plan to burn RLF at Westbury. Stephen Eades of Wiltshire Friends of the Earth commented that the recommendation to have at least one monitoring site is “seriously inadequate”.
The final decision on whether the six-month trial is to go ahead lies with the Environment Agency with its verdict scheduled for 30 April.
