Cement firm pays for car valeting

Campaigners say a 'kiln flush' left dust on homes and cars

A cement firm has paid for professional car valeters to clean the vehicles of nearby residents caught in two separate outpourings of dust from its chimney.

Castle Cement's Padeswood plant near Mold, has reported a pair of so-called kiln flushes in the past three weeks.

The emissions left a film of cement dust on downwind cars and homes. A total of 30 cars were later valeted.

The plant's general manager, Mark Cox, said: "We have had a dust emission issue over the last few weeks."

He added: "I have personally attempted to correct any nuisance this has caused our neighbours."

The £64m kiln replaced old plant at the works, promising to put the plant at the leading edge of cement production in Europe.

It was officially opened by Rhodri Morgan last September.

Campaigners opposed to the plant's operation took photographs of the kiln flush on 21 March. Castle Cement said a second kiln flush occurred on 29 March.

It creates an image of a plant that is not stable and creates concerns about what is not measured rather than what is measured Cank chairman, Arnold Woolley

Arnold Woolley, chair of Cank, or Campaign Against a New Kiln, said: "A good number of people got their houses and cars plastered.

"It has had three kiln flushes in the past 12 months. It has been creating excess noise and creating odours.

"It creates an image of a plant that is not stable and creates concerns about what is not measured rather than what is measured."

At last week's meeting of Penyffordd Community Council, chairman Colin Bithell, who lives near the plant, called for the site to be closed.

Castle Cement said it had been part of the community for 55 years

He said: "We wanted to make sure we got our point across.

"It's a regular occurrence now that you put you windscreen wipers on because there is white dust everywhere.

"After 20 years of the old plant, we expected better."

A spokesman for Castle Cement said: "People have been going to check the dust is from our incidents.

"When it was confirmed it was the case, we brought in an external valeting company.

"We are part of the community. A lot of our guys live in the Penyffordd area. Sometimes issues do happen but we aim to rectify it quickly. Hopefully, this issue has been resolved."

Mr Cox said the plant was investing in newer technology and methods to achieve its aim of continuous improvement.

He added: "I appreciate concerns that local residents may have and would like to assure them that as a company, Castle Cement is committed to ensure that its operations have minimum impact upon the local community."