LOUISVILLE, Neb. (Oct. 26, 2007) — The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality approved the use of scrap tires as supplemental fuel by Ash Grove Cement Co. at its cement kiln in Louisville.
Based on data gathered during a 2005 trial burn of a coal-tire mix at Louisville, Ash Grove has proven that using tire-derived fuel actually reduces toxic emissions from the facility, the DEQ said.
Ash Grove will install about $1.5 million of equipment to allow the burning of up to 1 million tires a year at Louisville, a company spokesman said.
However, the Nebraska chapter of the Sierra Club and other environmentalists oppose the use of TDF at Ash Grove.
"Tire incineration is a one-time conversion that produces increases in known carcinogens and poses significant health risks," according to a position paper on the Nebraska chapter's Web site. Sierra Club officials could not immediately be reached for comment.