Lehigh Northeast Cement proposes alternative fuel from paper mills

Lehigh Northeast Cement Co has submitted an application to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to modify its air emissions permit for its Glen Falls (NY) plant to allow the company to use an engineered fuel product from recycled paper mills as part of its fuel mix.

The fuel, known as ‘raggertail,’ consists of 60 per cent plastic trimmings and 40 per cent paper and cardboard fibre, Lehigh Hanson reports. It meets the DEC’s criteria for use as an AF and is expected to reduce the cement plant’s total air emissions, fossil fuel consumption and fuel costs, improving its competitive position in the market.

The permit modification application follows raggertail trials at the plant, conducted with the permission of DEC, as well as  air emissions tests to compare against the emissions from burning coal.