Currently, Kosmos Cement Company uses coal as the primary fuel for operating our cement plant. To reduce our fossil fuel usage, improve the economic viability of our operations and to support Louisville Metro’s green initiatives, we are proposing to use tires (tire derived fuel: TDF) to replace up to 25% of our traditional fuels in the production process. Because we operate under a Conditional Use Permit, we are submitting an application to modify the permit to allow us to use TDF. As a result, we are hosting a public meeting with our neighbors to explain this process and the benefits it will offer, including the potential of reducing Kentucky’s tire waste stream by up to 3 million tires a year. We will also explain the permitting and approval process at that time and answer any questions you may have. The meeting will be held on: Monday, April 19th, 6PM at Farnsley Landing, 7410 Moorman Road, Louisville, KY 40272 Please feel free to contact Shannon Sherman Graves at 933-6331 regarding any questions or thoughts you may have. See you there.
I'm not an environmental expert by any means, but I think it is a little misleading to say your company wants "to support Louisville Metro's green initiatives" by burning tires. It is common knowledge that burning tires in the open is extremely harmful to human health and the natural environment. Why would it be any different in a cement kiln along with burning coal? The fumes emitted are packed with the many toxic chemicals that tires contain, including volatile organic compounds such as benzene, metals such as lead, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzopyrene, and synthetic rubber components such as butadiene and styrene. Additionally, the chlorine content in tires leads to the creation of dioxins and furans (which are extremely toxic chemicals) when tires are burned.
"TDF" stands for "Tire-Derived Fuel", and it is not without serious consequences. Look it up. Please attend this meeting, listen politely, and tell them to shove those burning tires up their asses. Enough is enough.
To parahrase the patron saint of Neo-cons, "there they go again". We here in the Southwest are always the 'go to' folks for bad ideas! Burning tires, ash mountains, ash ponds, etc. We've already had a sand quarry filled with Eon ash. We are already breahting fumes from two coal fired power plants. Why not burning tires too? We are obviously useless people with no future. Besides, if they kill us early, they won't have to pay us any 'socialistic' security or pay for medical care! A win, win situation for corporate interest! T.S.Keith
ReplyDeleteThey asked for our opinion and we gave it at the meeting the other night. Do you think it will make one bit of difference?! The Southwest is the dumping ground for all the undesirables. They just want to add another one to the list.
ReplyDeleteUsing TDF as a substitute for coal is a good environmental idea. The tires aren't just thrown into the kiln, but are prepared by shredding and other activities. It is not like burning tires in the open. The temperature at which these tires will burn reduces or eliminates most, if not all, pollutants that might result from burning the rubber.
ReplyDeleteBottom line: using TDF is better environmentally that burning coal.
I am so disappointed in how KY just keeps making poor environmental choices, we are rated as one of the worse cities for pollution already in the USA. It's not easy going green, but it's so worth it, and if we want to attract and keep well educated people we need to do better in this area.
ReplyDeleteToday's article in the CJ, "Lawsuit links severe illnesses to trash fires," is just another reminder as why we need to change our ways.