Irish Cement is set to invest €10 million in its Limerick plant to switch to alternative fuels. The plant will seek permission from Limerick City and County Council for the investment, which would create some 40 jobs during the construction phase and hopefully secure the positions of the plant’s 80 staff. The plant will also need to secure a revised licence from the Environmental Protection Agency.
The plans incorporate the use of used tyres and residual waste materials to replace fossil fuels. In a statement, Irish Cement said: ‘The use of alternative fuels in the cement kilns helps to divert this waste from landfill, reduces the CO2 emissions and helps make better use of limited resources. This investment is an endorsement of the operations in Limerick and will be important to help secure the future of the Works in Limerick.’
“Limerick is Ireland’s oldest cement plant, and its 77 years of operations has been sustained by continuous investment in new technologies and processes throughout the decades. After a recent period of reduced demand, production is once again on the increase for domestic and export markets – but this fuel replacement programme will be key to sustaining this growth,” Limerick plant manager Pat Robinson told the Limerick Leader.
Edited from various sources by Katherine Guenioui
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