The EPA cracks down on one of the world’s biggest cement plant polluters.\u00a0 This pollution, like all pollution, is a public health risk that the government has every right and obligation to regulate and stop.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Cement Manufacturer to Pay $1.4 Million for Clean Air Act Violations <\/p>\n
WASHINGTON \u2013 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Justice Department announced today that Cemex, Inc., one of the largest producers of Portland cement in the United States, has agreed to pay a $1.4 million penalty for Clean Air Act violations at its cement plant in Fairborn, Ohio.\u00a0 In addition to the penalty, Cemex will spend an estimated $2 million on pollution controls that will reduce harmful emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO2), pollutants that can lead to childhood asthma, acid rain, and smog.<\/p>\n
\u201cEmissions of harmful pollutants like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides can lead to a number of serious health and environmental problems, including premature death and heart disease,\u201d said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA\u2019s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.\u00a0 \u201cToday\u2019s settlement will help keep harmful air pollution out of Ohio communities, protect children with asthma and prevent region-wide public health problems.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThrough this action, the United States and Ohio will secure reductions of harmful emissions by requiring that Cemex adopt state-of-the-art technology and take immediate steps to control pollutants,\u201d said Ignacia S. Moreno, assistant attorney general for the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice. \u201cAs in the case of other Portland cement plants that have agreed to come into compliance with the Clean Air Act, the Cemex plant has been a major source of air pollution, and this settlement will result in a healthier environment for residents of Fairborn, Ohio and the surrounding region.\u201d<\/p>\n
The settlement addresses modifications Cemex made to its cement plant without obtaining the proper permit, as required by the Clean Air Act. Major sources of air pollution are required to obtain permits which require the installation of pollution control technology before making changes that would significantly increase air emissions. Today\u2019s settlement ensures that the proper pollution control equipment will be installed to reduce future emission levels.<\/p>\n
Cemex will install state of the art control technologies that will reduce annual emissions of NOx by approximately 2,300 tons and SO2 by approximately 288 tons. Air pollution from cement plants can travel significant distances downwind, crossing state lines and creating region-wide health problems. These effects can have greater impacts on communities disproportionately exposed to environmental risks and to vulnerable populations, including children.<\/p>\n
Reducing air pollution from the largest sources of emissions, including cement facilities, is one of EPA\u2019s National Enforcement Initiatives for 2011-2013. The initiative continues EPA\u2019s focus on improving compliance with the new source review provisions of the Clean Air Act among industries that have the potential to cause significant amounts of air pollution. In fiscal year 2010, EPA\u2019s enforcement actions in the cement manufacturing, [...]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The EPA cracks down on one of the world’s biggest cement plant polluters.\u00a0 This pollution, like all pollution, is a public health risk that the government has every right and obligation to regulate and stop. Cement Manufacturer to Pay $1.4 … Continue reading