Environmental groups have fought in court to compel EPA to comply with the Clean Air Act requirements to address mercury emissions and the current Administration has fought equally as hard against compliance.
The air appears clean, but the mercury accumulates in the environment and food chain, unnoticed.
In addition to dirty coal-fired power plants, Cement Kilns are major contributors that have escaped regulation.
Daily Green commented on cement kilns:
The cement industry is heavily consolidated and controlled by international companies that are, in many cases, based outside the United States. While the U.S. economy demands cement, the pollution is dumped domestically while the profits are exported. Mercury fallout from burning coal and processing limestone contaminates lakes, rivers and reservoirs, where elemental mercury is transformed into toxic methymercury. That neurotoxin enters the food chain and can damage the brains of fetuses and young children who eat, or whose mothers eat, contaminated fish.
The largest cement kiln producers of mercury was offered on this list with the caveat:
Note, however, this caveat from Earthjustice: "The TRI depends on voluntary emissions estimates that may significantly understate kilns' actual pollution levels. Individual cement kilns in New York, Michigan and Oregon routinely understated their emissions until being required by state officials to conduct emissions tests – at which point it was evident that their actual emissions were approximately ten times higher than previously reported. The Lafarge kiln in Ravena, New York previously reported mercury emissions of only 40 pounds. It now acknowledges emitting more than 400 pounds per year."
Biggest Cement Kiln Mercury Polluters, 2006
Pounds – Facility, Location
2,582 – Ash Grove Cement Co., Durkee, Baker County, Ore.
654 – California Portland Cement Co., Colton, San Bernardino County, Calif.
586 – Lehigh Southwest Cement Co., Tehachapi, Kern County, Calif.
522 – Ash Grove Cement Co., Chanute, Neosho, Kan.
496 – Hanson Permanente Cement, Cupertino, Santa Clara County, Calif.
472 – Ash Grove Cement Co., Foreman, Little River County, Ark.
417 – LaFarge Midwest Inc., Alpena, Alpena County, Mich.
416 – LaFarge Building Materials Inc., Ravena, Albany County, N.Y.
271 – Cemex California Cement LLC, Victorville, San Bernardino County, Calif.
252 – River Cement Co., Festus, Jefferson County, Mo.
241 – Cemex Cement of Texas LP, New Braunfels, Comal County, Texas
225 – Cemex de Puerto Rico Inc., Ponce, Ponce County, Puerto Rico
208 – National Cement Co. of Alabama, Ragland, St. Clair County, Ala.
190 – Lehigh Cement Co., Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
176 – Essroc Cement Corp., Speed, Clark County, Ind.
172 – RMC Pacific Materials, Davenport, Santa Cruz County, Calif.
163 – Essroc Cement Corp., Nazareth, Northampton County, Penn.
161 – Mitsubishi Cement Corp., Lucerne Valley, San Bernardino County, Calif.
160 – Buzzi Unicem USA, Cape Girardeau, Cape Girardeau County, Mo.
159 – Lehigh Cement Co., Mitchel, Lawrence County, Ind.
153 – Ash Grove Cement, Leamington, Leamington County, Utah
151 – Essroc Cement Corp., Bessemer, Lawrence County, Penn.
149 – Capitol Cement Corp., Martinsburg, Berkeley, W.Va.
130 – Buzzi Unicem USA, Greencastle, Putnam County, Ind.
120 – Holcim (US), Dundee, Monroe County, Mich.
106 – Holcim U.S. Inc., Clarksville, Pike County, Mo.
105 – Keystone Cement Co., Bath, Northampton, Penn.
A friend sent the following information that indicates Omega-3 may be effective in treating certain types of macular degeneration (AMD), but beware the contamination:
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Great study but be very careful about getting too much of your Omega-3 from fish. Most fish are full of toxins and Mercury. I did find one web site to buy fish where they will tell you exactly how much Mercury you are eating. The site is http://www.1wildplanet.com/.
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Dr. Roger J. Williams
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Omega-3 Foods May Lower Eye Disease Risk
High intake of fatty acid associated with reduction of both early and late AMD
(HealthDay News) -- Consuming fish and other foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of severe vision loss in elderly people.
Australian researchers reviewed nine published studies that included a total of 88,974 participants, including 3,203 people with AMD. The combined findings from the studies suggest that a high dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids is associated with a 38 percent reduced risk of late (advanced) AMD, and that eating fish twice a week is associated with a reduced risk of both early and late AMD.
The study was published in the June issue of the journal Archives of Ophthalmology.
The University of Melbourne researchers noted that long-chain omega-3 fatty acids form an integral part of the layer of nerve cells in the retina. Outer cells of the retina are continually shed and regenerated. Because of this, deficiencies in omega-3 fatty acids may cause AMD.
"A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids and fish, as a proxy for long-chain omega-3 fatty acid intake, has therefore been hypothesized as a means to prevent AMD," the researchers wrote.
While they did find an association between omega-3 fatty acid intake and reduced risk of AMD, they didn't go so far as to recommend regular consumption of omega-3 fatty acids to ward off AMD.
"Although this meta-analysis suggests that consumption of fish and food rich in omega-3 fatty acids may be associated with a lower risk of AMD, there is insufficient evidence from the current literature, with few prospective studies and no randomized clinical trials, to support their routine consumption for AMD," the researchers concluded.
More information
The National Eye Institute has more about age-related macular degeneration. http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/maculardegen/armd_facts.asp
-- Robert Preidt
SOURCE: JAMA/Archives journals, news release, June 9, 2008
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2 comments:
Cement kilns and mercury? I didn't know about this and it actually has changed my vote. How can we ignore this?
My kids look to me to protect them.
The environmental lawyers of Weitz & Luxenberg P.C. have begun speaking with those in the Ravena, New York community who say they have been affected by the Lafarge Ravena Cement Plant. For more information, please visit http://www.weitzlux.com/lafarge_1935726.html
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