Push for Cleaner Cement Kilns

kilnWhen I first heard the term “cement kiln,” I was thinking, hmm, pottery? Fun. I love that scene in Ghost.

But cement kilns are actually industrial facilities that process hydraulic cement. Over a billion tons of cement are made every year at these facilities, making them incredibly important to business. They are also the biggest greenhouse gas and energy concern in the whole business.

In the pollutants cased by the kilns, mercury is of particular concern. According to Earthjustice, “Cement kilns are some of the nation’s biggest mercury polluters.” They also “spew more than 20 thousand pounds of mercury and millions of pounds of other toxic air pollutants into our air and water every year.”

That’s a lot of crap into our atmosphere! Come on, people, we nixed the mercury thermometers (for the most part)—let’s figure out another way to make cement so we can be just a little greener and a lot healthier.

It turns out that the Environmental Protection Agency already has plans in the works to do just that (yay!). They are actually planning to cut mercury pollution overall by up to 93%. That’s a very hefty promise to make. They also plan to cut particulate matter by up to 96%--and sulfur dioxide by 90%.

Boy, I remember back when Gale Norton served as Secretary of Interior under Bush II and I would actually lose sleep after learning what she would let the EPA do—or rather, not do—and whatever part of the environment she was allowing to be gutted that week. This news is sweet music to my ears.

The problem is—and isn’t it always?—the lobbyists. The people making the pollution are trying to get the EPA to simmer down now and reduce these spectacular goals to make us all keep choking—and make themselves keep earning an extra buck.

(Don’t you get sick of hearing stuff like that? I mean, don’t these people want to breathe clean air, too? And what about their kids?)

Thankfully, many representatives in the House believe that the EPA’s goals are worthy ones and approve of their plans—though not all of them. We can help by asking our representatives to join the club.

You can take action now and ask Congress to clean up these kilns through Earthjustice by clicking here. Simply enter your information and click “Send This Message,” or, for more impact, add your own personal comments.