Cement company fined after damaging air quality

A Scottish cement company has been fined £14,000 after an explosion which released five tonnes of cement dust into the atmosphere.

Peterhead-based CEBO UK was prosecuted by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) following the incident, which occurred in May 2008.

The explosion spread the cement powder over an area two kilometres from the site, covering residential and commercial properties.

An investigation carried out by SEPA found that the silo containing the substance was not properly maintained, with brackets on the hatch lid noted to be badly corroded.

The silo was also out of test and should not have been used after February 2008.

SEPA's investigating officer Martyn Howie commented: "This incident was both serious and avoidable, serious in that a large amount of cement powder was forcibly ejected into the atmosphere [...] and avoidable through the correct [...] maintenance of the silo."

Mr Howie added that it should serve to remind other operators about their obligations to maintain all their equipment and sites to the correct standards.

Earlier this month, a businessman from Aberdeenshire was fined for illegal dumping waste on land in Turriff.

Posted by Claire Manning