As it awaits industrial approval from the province to burn tires at its Nova Scotia cement plant, Lafarge Canada says it has spent $830,000 to install emissions monitoring systems.
The company says its new equipment measures plant emissions such as sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and hydrocarbons every 10 seconds.
READ MORE: Lafarge seeking approval for controversial tire burning project in Nova Scotia
Rob Cumming, Lafarge’s environment director, says the company’s proposed one year pilot project at its Brookfield plant, will allow it to gather the scientific evidence needed to assure the public that it is safe to use scrap tires as a replacement for coal.
Last month, the Environment Department said it was reviewing the company’s application and would make a decision on the project within 60 days.
WATCH: Petition, bill against Lafarge tire burning presented to N.S. government
The project has drawn criticism from residents near the plant, environmental groups and Nova Scotia’s NDP, which has called on the Liberal government to ban tire burning.
A court challenge was also launched by a group of local residents in August, arguing the government’s approval of the project’s environmental assessment violated the province’s Environment Act.