CASTLE Cement stopped burning controversial Cemfuel hours before new European anti-pollution rules came into force -- and it could be months before it starts again, it was revealed today.

Campaigners, who have been protesting against the fuel used in the kilns for the past eight years, today celebrated the halt and vowed to fight to make it permanent.

But the company said it was planning to apply for permission to start burning Cemfuel again -- but couldn't say how long it might take.

A new European directive meant the company had to comply with new conditions by last weekend.

The company today confirmed that it had stopped using Cemfuel in its wet kilns on June 30 until new monitoring equipment has been installed. The equipment has been installed on another kiln but the firm has yet to apply for permission to burn Cemfuel -- a cheaper alternative to coal and other fuels -- on a permanent basis.

"We're extremely pleased. Now we will concentrate on making sure it is not burned again," said David Mortimer, chairman of Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Friends of the Earth.

"What we really want now is a parallel public inquiry with the one being held at Padeswood, North Wales. Our main aim has always been to stop the burning of hazardous waste, not to shut the plant down," he stressed

The company issued a statement maintaining that Cemfuel was not a hazardous waste, which the EC directive is aimed at, but a "specially blended" fuel made from recycled chemical waste, which was safe to burn. "Once the new monitoring equipment has been installed we will ask the Environment Agency for permission to recommence burning," said works general manager Ian Sutheran.

The firm said its kiln seven already had monitoring equipment in place although the company has not yet applied for permission to use it to burn Cemfuel on a permanent basis.

"We have made cement in the Ribble Valley for 60 years and there has never been any evidence to link ill-health to our operations. Indeed a £500,000 air quality survey carried out by the Environment Agency said that air quality was very good."

The firm said it was unable to say when it might be in a position to start burning Cemfuel again.

Chris Smith of the Environment Agency said officers had been on the Ribblesdale site since the deadline passed .

"The conditions only apply when hazardous waste is being burned and since they have decided to stop burning Cemfuel the conditions don't apply."

He said agency staff would continue to visit the site to monitor the situation.

Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans today welcomed the news and said: "I think that it is right that they have stopped but they must continue to monitor the air quality in the area now that they have stopped.

"This is an opportunity to find out what the real effect of burning Cemfuel is. I think that they should take this opportunity for a prolonged period of burning conventional fuels so that the public have further information on the possible environmental impact of Cemfuel. I think that they are going to have to stop burning it for some time. They must not be allowed to burn it again until they meet the strict environmental standards."

"The fact is that Castle Cement had two years to meet them and apparently could not do it. I think this is quite serious. I don't whether it means the end of burning Cemfuel. That is a question only the company can answer. "

Pendle MP Gordon Prentice said : "It is obviously imperative that Castle Cement meet all environmental regulations whether they are UK or European."