EPA Sets Mercury Limits On Cement Producers in the U.S.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has established the first regulations for mercury emissions from cement factories, a step the Obama administration says will produce $7 to $19 in health benefits for every dollar in costs. Federal officials say the regulations, set to take effect in 2013, will reduce annual emissions of mercury and particulate matter by 92 percent, hydrocarbons by 83 percent, and sulfur dioxide by 78 percent. Mercury can impair the development of children’s brains, and particulate matter is linked to numerous health problems, including asthma, heart attacks, and premature deaths. The production of Portland cement accounts for 7 percent of the nation’s mercury emissions, well behind coal-fired power plants, which produce the majority of mercury emissions in the United States. Mercury is emitted when cement components — including clay, limestone, and shale — are heated in a kiln. U.S. cement producers predict the stricter regulations will cost them billions of dollars to upgrade existing kilns and could result in plant closures and the outsourcing of jobs.