Lehigh Cement’s Permanente plant, USA, recently announced plans to install new equipment as it aims to reduce mercury emissions by 25%. This coincides with the EPA’s plans to introduce the US’ first limits on mecury emissions from existing kilns, due to be announced on 3 August. This may result in some plants having to reduce emissions by 80% by August 2013. Tim Matz, Director of Environmental Affairs at Lehigh Cement, is certain that its current plans will not fulfil all of the EPA’s upcoming requirements.
Matz, who is also a member of the PCA, pointed out that the EPA will offer a maximum of three years for cement plants to comply with the new standards.