CEMEX announces no tire burning in 2008
By Joanne Irwin
January, 2008
On January 1, 2008, the state-imposed moratorium on burning tires at the Lyons CEMEX plant was lifted. Last month CEMEX plant manager Steve Goodrich announced that the Lyons cement plant decided to voluntarily suspend any plans to burn tires in 2008. In a special briefing before the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC) in March Goodrich said, “We have no plans to pursue burning scrap tires in 2008. We do not have the budget and have other objectives to focus on.”
Public concern over tire burning in Lyons has grown over the last several years. Two years ago on March 14, 2006, over two hundred people attended a special Lyons town meeting about CEMEX’s plans to burn tires for fuel. In May, 2006, sixty-three people marched from downtown Lyons to the CEMEX plant to protest tire burning. Over 12,000 letters have been sent to CEMEX leaders concerning tire burning or pollution from the Lyons plant, according to the Colorado Citizens’ campaign, a Denver-based non-profit group.
Jennifer Borgen, External Communications Manager for CEMEX USA, explained that CEMEX has “been listening to [the] community and local regulators’ concerns and feedback. We want to first address basic concerns at the plant and continue to build trust.”
Building trust is what the Boulder County health department has asked the Lyons plant to do. Gabi Hoefler, Environmental Health Specialist for Boulder County Public Health, speaking on behalf of BCPH at the March 20 AQCC meeting, recommended that “CEMEX be required to demonstrate three years of compliance before they are allowed to use scrap tires as an alternative fuel.” She continued, “We base this on fact that the Environmental Protection Agency does agree that emissions (from tire derived fuel) wouldn’t be that different from conventional fuel, as long as the combustion occurs in a well maintained, well operated combustion device. We don’t believe that CEMEX has demonstrated that at this point, and feel they need a couple years to show us they can do that.”
According to Borgen, “None of the past enforcement issues at CEMEX Lyons have involved maintenance or operation of its combustion device, which is the kiln. It is a common misunderstanding that past alleged temperature violations involved kiln temperatures. They did not. The temperatures in question were at the kiln baghouse inlet, which is several process steps "downstream" from the kiln.”
“We understand concern over past enforcement issues involving other areas of the plant and we’re continuing to make improvements and enhancements to resolve or improve our operations. But, we're baffled by Boulder County Public Health's continuing effort to link enforcement issues concerning other areas of the plant to kiln maintenance and operation. In fact, the Lyons kiln is and has been consistently well maintained and operated, and consistently compliant,” said Borgen.
In response, Pam Milmoe, BCPH Air/Waste coordinator said, “We do consider the reporting issues associated with the operation of the kiln as an indication of the ability to run a well maintained and well-operated combustion device. The temperature readings are taken at the inlet to the bag-house because this is where dioxins and furans are most likely to form as the gasses cool as they leave the kiln. The formation of dioxins and furans is a direct result of how the kiln is operated.”
Christopher Dann, information officer for Colorado’s Air Pollution Control Division added, “There is an extensive non-compliance history here. There is also an extensive history of actions by the state and others to bring this company into compliance. We’ve been working for many months and many years to resolve these compliance issues.”
The focus for CEMEX, Lyons for the rest of 2008 will be to complete additional environmental enhancement projects. “We are planning to voluntarily fully enclose additional raw material belts which will further work to reduce potential fugitive dust. We are also continuing to explore methods for reducing our nitrous oxide emissions,” explained Borgen.
In the recent operating permit renewal, state regulators concluded that the Lyons plant has the right to burn tires as fuel, but added the following requirements to the permit: 1) CEMEX must give 60 days notice to the Air Pollution Control Division prior to tire burning. 2) CEMEX must conduct a stack test within 45 days of the date the plants commences burning tires. The stack test will measure particle emissions, volatile organic chemicals (VOCs), dioxins and furans.
Michele Leonard, a founding member of the Lyons area group Mothers Against Burning Tires commented, “While I'm thankful for the reprieve, I think there is something seriously wrong with our regulatory systems if an epic polluter such as Cemex is deciding where, when, and what kind of pollution they'll be dumping into our air. Obviously there's still a lot of work to be done.”
Milmoe concluded, “BCPH is pleased that CEMEX has no plans to burn tires in 2008. Demonstrating a sustained period of compliance prior to burning tires will help us and the community to have greater confidence in its operating practices.”
According to Borgen, right now CEMEX, Lyons has no plans to pursue tires in 2009.