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WESTBURY'S cement factory Lafarge has received a written warning from the Environment Agency.

The factory has been leaking dioxins, a product of combustion, into the atmosphere from the cement kilns.
The Environment Agency has given Lafarge a written warning after the agency recorded a dioxin result above the permitted level.
The sample was one of a series of measurements taken at the end of February.2008 http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/

Polychlorinated dibenzodioxins (PCDDs) dioxins 120px-1,4-dioxin-3D-balls
Photo La Farge 2008
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October 18 2004 BBC Inside Out
Former Environment Minister Michael Meacher MP On Lafarge
"The organisation of these trials does need to be seen to be absolutely impartial, independent, arms-length, and I don't think you can quite say that here," Michael comments.
"Now I'm not saying the company is dishonest, I'm not saying that at all, but I'm just saying people need to be persuaded by arms-length action by an independent body.
"Some measures have been taken but certainly not yet enough in my view".


 
10th August 2008
 
Dear Editor,
 
To make definitive statements on safety of public health on inaccurate data is general practice by industry and the regulator. I would point to the way dioxin extractive testing is done to clarify this statement.
 
When start up extractive testing is not possible with BS EN 1948 then an important aspect of emission monitoring is missed out from the overall dioxin results This is especially important in incineration performance when start up and close down is more common practice than one would believe.
 
Now it has been known for sometime that AMESA and DMS dioxin monitoring can operate and provide MCerts Certification ( an Environment Agency monitoring approved standard ) dioxin extractve testing during these operational times and where it has been done a higher dioxin result has been recorded. Unfortunately also ignored and not included in the overall evaluation.
 
So an important time for monitoring and testing is not included in the skewed results therefore all of the statements that everything is well below strict standards for dioxins could be true but equally could be well off the mark. The truth is untill testing is done during start up and close down operating conditions we do not know and therefore I can take no comfort from those statements of reassurance based on inaccuracies in data interpretation
 
Yours Faithfully,
 
David Levy
Executive UK WIN