Spain – Cement plants burn 75 per cent of Valencia’s bonemeal

The region of Valencia, eastern Spain, burns 75 per cent of its bonemeal production in cement plants – the highest in Spain, according to local government representative, Rafael Blasco. The use of bonemeal as fuel for the kilns helps the region to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and to substitute traditional fuels.

The success of this use of bonemeal has also meant that Valencia only dumps 1.7 per cent of its bonemeal output, in contrast to other regions where dumping rates are typically around 11.6 per cent. The question of the use of bonemeal has been a problem throughout Europe since the outbreak of mad cow disease. As a result of the outbreak, the EU has prohibited the use of it as animal feed and the question of its use has remained largely unsolved.