Cement Kilns and Highly Toxic Mercury Pollution

Kudos to Earthjustice for finally reaching a settlement to reduce mercury pollution from cement kilns, EPA standards to be presented by March 2009.

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The smoke discharged from cement kilns appears clean, but carries its mercury pollution and other toxins with it to contaminate rivers, streams, neighborhoods, drinking water and to accumulate in the environment where it persists.

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Voluntary industry emissions estimates have been grossly understated, which accounts for significant discrepancies between industry estimates and estimates based on production calculations.

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So much for voluntary compliance!

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The industry friendly Administration has ignored public health hazards, scientific facts and the law.

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In their fact sheet,
The Bush administration has utterly failed
to protect the public from toxic mercury pollution.

CEMENT KILNS—These facilities release vast quantities of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) into the air every year, including approximately 5 tons of mercury. For four years, the Bush administration has refused to set standards to control this pollution and protect public health in spite of a December 15, 2000 federal court’s order that EPA issue regulations to reduce emissions of mercury and other toxic chemicals from cement kilns. The Bush administration’s continued refusal to respond to this court order has forced Earthjustice, on behalf of the Sierra Club, to file a writ of Mandamus to compel the administration to finally act on the court’s order and issue protective regulations.

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COAL-BURNING POWER PLANTS—Power plants are one of the most well-known sources of mercury pollution, releasing some 48 tons of the toxin into the air each year. Rather than propose standards that would provide the maximum achievable controls for this toxin, the Bush administration proposed to reclassify mercury from power plants as a non-hazardous air pollutant. The new definition doesn’t change the dangers mercury poses to health and the environment, but it does weaken and delay standards for the control and reduction of this toxic pollutant under the Clean Air Act.

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And this from the announcement --
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The report -- titled "Cementing a Toxic Legacy?" -- drew on the latest EPA data, which found that the nation's 151 cement plants generate 22,918 pounds of airborne mercury each year. Previously, EPA believed that cement kilns accounted for about 11,995 pounds of annual mercury emissions.
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one-seventieth of one teaspoon of mercury can contaminate a 20-acre lake and make the lake's fish unsafe to eat.
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The following is a list of the most egregious offenders from Earthjustice, hopefully to appear on search engines to brand the producers, watch for some of these names to appear on campaign donors' lists --
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The Ash Grove Cement Plant in Durkee, Oregon has the dubious distinction of being the worst mercury polluter of any kind in the country, emitting more mercury into the air than any power plant, steel mill or hazardous waste incinerator. In 2006 Ash Grove reported to the EPA's Toxic Release Inventory that it emitted 2,582 pounds of mercury. Based on information Ash Grove submitted to EPA in 2007, however, actual emissions may be as much as 3,788 pounds a year.
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Lafarge North America, Inc., shows up on the Top 10 Polluting Cement Kiln list twice, at rank four and rank five with its plants in New York and Michigan. By Lafarge's own calculations the kiln in Ravena, New York emits 400 pounds of mercury per year.
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Lehigh's Union Bridge, Maryland, plant is located approximately 75 miles northwest of Baltimore. It is the fifth largest cement kiln in the United States, able to produce nearly 2 million tons of clinker annually. The Lehigh cement kiln at Union Bridge reported to TRI in 2006 emitting only 35 pounds of mercury pollution; but Lehigh reported in newly released TRI data for 2007 emitting 376 pounds of mercury. However, as reported in "Cementing a Toxic Legacy?" this kiln also has the capacity to emit as much as 1,539 pounds of mercury a year. This is particularly significant given the plant's proximity to the Chesapeake Bay.
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The largest concentration of cement manufacturing in the entire country is just outside of the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex in Midlothian, Texas. Citizens of Midlothian are burdened by five plants operated by Holcim, Ash Grove and Texas Industries, all within a 6.5 mile radius of each other. Combined, these plants emit just under 200 pounds of mercury on an annual basis, and thousands of tons of other dangerous toxic air pollutants.
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In the San Francisco Bay Area, Hanson Permanente Cement operates a kiln in Cupertino, California. This kiln is located within a major residential area in close proximity to several Cupertino schools. It is also located within five miles of the San Francisco Bay, which is currently contaminated with mercury. The Hanson Permanente kiln reported emitting a staggering 494 pounds of mercury pollution in 2006 to the EPA's Toxic Release Inventory. EPA failed to include Hanson Permanente Cement in any of its information requests, leaving open the possibility that its mercury emissions could be even worse.
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The CEMEX kiln in Davenport, California is of similar concern. That kiln, located right beside homes and farms along California's coastline and only 40 miles north of the Monterey Bay Sanctuary, reported emitting 172 pounds of mercury pollution to the Toxic Release Inventory in 2006. The Davenport kiln is one of those for which EPA refuses to release data gathered in 2007.
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The Lafarge site in Alpena, Michigan is a five-kiln plant, and in 2006 was the nation's third largest cement plant. These kilns collectively reported emitting 360 pounds of mercury in 2006. The Alpena cement plant is of particular concern because it sits on the banks of Lake Huron and in close proximity to residential areas of Alpena.
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As a footnote to any interested in DIRTY COAL, Earthjustice offers
Economic Valuation of Human
Health Benefits of Controlling
Mercury Emissions from U.S.
Coal-Fired Power Plants
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The following was previously posted --
Mercury, Power Plants, Fish and Cement Kilns
Mercury and Cement Kilns