Lehigh Cement Reduces Hg Emissions with Activated Carbon

On June 3, the Lehigh Permanente Cement Company, located in Cupertino, California, announced the launch of a new system to reduce mercury emissions at the plant by ninety percent.  The system utilizes a powdered activated carbon (PAC) injection system to capture the mercury and ultimately trap it in the resultant concrete.  The move comes in anticipation of [...]

New MACT Proposal for Electric Utilities Follows Cement Industry

Last week, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed another Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) rule – this time targeting the Electric Utility Industry.  The proposal was issued March 16, 2011, and outlines new emissions standards for coal- and oil-fired electric utility steam generating units (EGUs).  Primarily, the new rule will lead to a reduction in the emission [...]

Beginning of an Era

As widely reported this week, the EPA has passed a long anticipated set of rules regulating the emission of mercury and other pollutants from cement plants. Reactions have been predictable:  dire predictions that the regulations “can’t be met” with existing technologies for certain plants and claims of the billions of dollars the new regulations will cost the industry.

Industry spokespersons [...]

Lehigh tests mercury reduction

Lehigh Cement will begin voluntarily testing of activated carbon injection technology, commonly used to reduce mercury at power plants, to reduce the emissions at its plant in Union Bridge Maryland. The mercury will be permanently sequestered in the final product. Lehigh believes it can meet the EPA proposal for 2013 mercury levels without negatively impacting the quality of [...]

More mercury news

Two new studies released today will only serve to increase the public pressure on the EPA to regulate mercury emissions from cement kilns.

The first, a USGS study, found mercury contamination in every fish tested from 291 streams across the country and levels in more than two thirds of them were “a concern to fish eating mammals”. [...]