CEMENT firm bosses are to host an exhibition about plans to burn waste meat and bones as an alternative fuel in Clitheroe.

It will outline Castle Cement's proposal to use agricultural waste-derived fuel to fire kilns at Ribblesdale works and will take place at Clitheroe Parish Church on Wednesday, June 18.

The company, which is at the centre of a long-running row with residents over its use of the toxic waste fuel, Cemfuel, announced its intention to fire Kiln 7 at Ribblesdale with waste meat and bonemeal from the animal rendering industry earlier this year.

Castle Cement has held detailed discussions with Government pollution watchdog the Environment Agency, Lancashire County Council and Ribble Valley Borough Council, and has distributed a newsletter to residents living within five miles of the works.

The company wants to switch to fuel from coal and, if given the go-ahead, could be burning up to 1,000 tonnes of it a week within a year. The fuel will contain no BSE-infected material and is already being used safely at cement firms in Europe, company bosses have claimed.

But clean air campaigners have reacted angrily and claim the health and welfare of residents is being sacrificed for company profits.

Gareth Price, general manager at the Ribblesdale works, said: "The fuel will be entirely consumed in the very high temperatures of our cement manufacturing system in the same manner as coal and the residues or ash will be combined with limestone to become cement."

The Environment Agency has said Castle Cement will not be allowed to use the fuel until a rigorous programme of trials has been drawn up, including checks on releases to air, land and water.

Castle Cement last year announced its intention to test burning tyres and waste from the manufacture of household goods, such as disposable nappies. This is being considered by the Environment Agency.

Lynda England of Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Friends of the Earth said: "If Castle Cement can get energy out of this waste, rather than bury it in landfill, it has to be a good thing. But we are still concerned about the increased lorry movements that will result from it being transported."