State officials have approved a request from Lafarge to burn asphalt shingles and plastics at its plant near Alpena, Michigan, USA.

The state’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has approved the permit saying emissions shouldn't have health effects on residents, Alpena News reported yesterday. State environmental engineer Melissa Byrnes says tests at Lafarge showed burning the materials produces air toxins below the department’s threshold levels.

The permit approval follows a 1 October public hearing on the request. It allows the plant to burn about 65,000tpa of plastics and 26,000t of asphalt shingles in kilns with pollution control measures in place.