Group ‘proud’ of ‘pressure’ applied as Carmeuse abandons Flamborough burn application

A number of residents around Greenville and Dundas, Ont., say they are breathing a bit easier amid word a lime manufacturing company has abandoned an application to burn alternative low-carbon fuels (ALCFs) at a Flamborough site.

A spokesperson for a group concerned over the release of furans and dioxins from burning ALCFs at a Carmeuse Lime operation told Global News in an email they are pleased and “proud” of a community team that “applied pressure” against the initiative.

“More work on present emissions need to be undertaken in partnership with Carmuese and the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) and we welcome that initiative,” Dundas and Greensville Environmental Concern member Mark Osborne said.

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“In numbers the average citizen can make a difference.”

The company was looking to replace the natural gas and petcoke it currently uses to run its lime kilns with ALCFs in the hope of reducing CO2 emissions.

However, the process potentially could have meant the use of non-recyclable rubber and plastic, tire fluff and some sanitary products in the energy-producing operation.

According to a statement from Flamborough-Glanbrook MPP Donna Skelly, the change of heart came Friday when it was revealed company officials decided not to submit an application.

“Carmeuse will notify the public should it decide to proceed with GHG (Green House Gas) reduction products at its Dundas operations,” Skelly added.

A number of residents became concerned about the Carmeuse application last year when the company revealed it was looking to not only mitigate its carbon emissions but also potentially reduce fuel costs burning ALCFs.

The proposal targeted its Highway 5 location in the Lafarge quarry and it began public consultations in October 2022 seeking concerns from Hamilton residents.

The Greensville environmental group said they were skeptical the change in burning protocol would actually reduce the CO2 emissions.

Osbourne added that there was concern over whether the materials to be burned would contain items that shouldn’t be burned.

He said anxieties were over the potential effect emissions would have on nearby homes, agricultural lands and a nearby elementary school.

Global News reached out to Carmeuse for a statement on its deserting of the conversion to ALCFs but had not received a reply as of the publishing of this post.

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