Sludge Watch ==> Lafarge Bath Ontario - got permit to burn waste

[Maureen Reilly]

Sludegwatch Admin:

This is a terrible idea.  First...we need to have assurance that burning 
waste won't have a negative impact on the quality of cement.  You see 
Lafarge has such a corner on the cement market (check all those successful 
lawsuits against them for constraint of trade) that they don't have much 
competition.  There is so much money in burning waste that the issue is will 
they compromise their product to improve their bottom line?

The Ontario Ministry of the Environment refused to consider or accept 
research that demonstrated how some wastes...particularly sludges or animal 
meal with high phosphoric acid content...can lead to corruption of the 
cement product.  They said that they would only review data related to 
'environmental effects'.  The Ontario Ministry of the Environment seem to 
think that collapsing bridges and buildings don't have environmental 
impacts.

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Lafarge's Bath cement kiln approved to burn waste

Friday Dec 22 2006

Ontario's Ministry of the Environment has granted Lafarge Canada to burn 
scrap tires and other municipal waste at its cement manufacturing plant in 
Bath, Ontario.

Strict conditions will be part of two certificates of approval that will be 
granted under the Environmental Protection Act to Lafarge Canada, allowing 
it to replace about 30 per cent of the fuel it currently uses at its Bath 
plant through a gradual phasing-in of used tires and other municipal wastes.

In a pilot project, Lafarge will be allowed to burn these wastes under 
strictly controlled conditions in order to confirm that the process can 
safely meet Ontario's stringent air emission standards. It will burn tires 
in gradually increasing amounts in three demonstration stages over a period 
of two years. Only if emissions levels meet the ministry's standards can 
Lafarge then proceed to the next stage.

The conditions set out in Lafarge's air certificate of approval include:

-- Rigorous third party oversight: The demonstration phase of the project 
will include an independent third party technical review of the facility's 
performance testing on behalf of a community liaison committee. Lafarge's 
emissions results will also be reviewed by the ministry.

-- An open and transparent process: The company is required to continuously 
monitor emissions. Lafarge has also agreed to display its continuous 
monitoring in a public place. The community liaison committee will review 
the results.

-- Strict standard: The facility will have to meet strict air emission 
limits based on Ontario's rigorous A7 air guideline. These standards are 
more stringent than either the European Union or the US Environmental 
Protection Act limits. Lafarge will also have to achieve even lower limits 
for lead and cadmium.

-- Success criteria: If, as a result of the demonstration phase, Lafarge has 
demonstrated to the ministry's satisfaction that the technology has met the 
required emissions standards at each level of testing, the Bath plant will 
be allowed to continue, subject to routine performance testing and 
continuous emission monitoring. Under its waste certificate of approval, 
Lafarge has committed to ensuring that the wastes received at the site are 
either not recyclable due to their properties or are surplus to the capacity 
of Ontario recycling markets, and must provide the ministry with an annual 
detailed assessment of the efforts the company has taken to restrict the 
receipt and use of potentially recyclable material.

Though no facility in Ontario currently uses tires as an alternative fuel, 
in a further development, Environment Minister Laurel Broten is also 
proposing to call a temporary halt to the burning of tires for a period of 
two years. This halt will give ministry scientists and experts the 
opportunity to ensure the environmental performance of facilities that 
convert tires to energy. If the results are not complete, the halt can be 
extended to three years. Alternative fuels, including tires, have been used 
for many years in safe, proven processes to make cement in Quebec as well as 
such jurisdictions as Sweden, Germany, and California.

The plan for a proposed suspension on the burning of used tires has been 
posted on the Environmental Registry for a 45-day public comment period.

It is available at www.ene.gov.on.ca/envision/env_reg/ebr/english/index.htm

Contact 416-325-4000 or 1-800-565-4923, www.ene.gov.on.ca

http://www.hazmatmag.com/issues/isarticle.asp?id=63722&issue=12222006&PC=HM&story_id=&link_targ=DailyNews&link_source=aypr_HM&btac=no
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