Cement, Energy and Environment

PM The EPA has taken an unprecedented step in completely dismissing continuous opacity monitoring systems (COMS) to demonstrate compliance with the particulate matter emission limit. This is particularly disconcerting given that nearly every state operating permit for cement kilns, kilns/in– line raw mills, and clinker coolers requires COMS. Instead, the EPA identifies particulate matter continuous emissions monitors (PM CEMS) as the technology of choice. The fundamental problems constraining the use of PM CEMS arise from establishing the "calibration of the monitor'' through an empirical correlation with independent reference methods. There are a great many limitations, technical difficulties, and costs associated with developing those correlations, and the stability of the correlations themselves is adversely affected by changes in particle size, particle density, refractive index, and a host of other factors. There has been a great deal of discussion about the cement industry exaggerating the impacts of these new proposed rules, but the facts speak for themselves. If the rule is implemented as proposed, the PCA has determined that as many as 30 existing plants will be forced to close with an additional 12 plants at a significantly high risk of closure. The thirty existing plants represent more than 20 million t of clinker production capacity or about 20 per cent of the r.urrent US total. The economic and employment impacts would be staggering, but ;;, an ironic t• ·:'~ t -f ~:- ~:; ~'-: :-– environmental impacts may be worse. US cement demand is expected to grow. Some "Cement producers face an almost Orwellian scenario: any one of the proposed emissions limits would be difficult to achieve using today's technology, but meeting all of the new proposed limits simultaneously is a risky venture on several levels." estimated indicate a 30 per cent increase in demand by 2020. So if the rule is implemented, there will be a substantial increase in imports from foreign plants that are not subject to the EPA's stringent environmental standards. That effect is called "leakage." Countries will less restrictive environmental regulations may become havens for cement manufacturers, thereby pushing US cement production overseas. The end result could well be an OPEC styled cartel. This may completely undermine the mercury reduction benefits that the EPA anticipates from this rule and it will certainly increase anticipates from this rule and it will certainly increase greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation of cement. It truly would be ironic if the US exported its cement manufacturing capacity, technical expertise and employment in exchange for cement and pollution imported from overseas locations. Other EPA challenges Although the proposed NESHAP rules have garnered a great deal of attention, the EPA has also been active on the climate change front. The EPA Administrator signed a final rule for mandatory reporting of greenhouse gases (including c::;::: "'n dic:dde) ::;n 22 September 2009 published in the Federal Register on 30 October. The rule took effect on 29 December with the first reports due at the end of the first quarter (31 March 2010). Most see this reporting as the prelude to some form of carbon taxation or cap-and-trade arrangement. On 7 December 2009, the EPA Administrator ended the year by signing an endangerment finding that carbon dioxide in the atmosphere threatens the health and welfare of current and future generations. That same finding was coupled with a cause or contribute finding that the combined emissions of greenhouse gases from new motor vehicles and new motor vehicle engines contribute to the greenhouse gas pollution that threatens public health and welfare. How these findings will ultimately impact the cement industry is unknown at this time, but they certainly will complicate the challenges posed to the industry by the NESHAP. For further details, log on to: www.worldcement.com Courtesy: World Cement, March 2010, 27-31. GOVT TO BRING ENVIRONMENT BILL IN NEXT SESSION New Delhi: A bill for setting up National Environment Protection Agency (NEPA) , an independent body of professionals to monitor compliance of green laws in the country, will be tabled in monsoon session of Parliament by the government. This was stated by Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh on 16.3.2010 at a two– day confere,;t.e 01 1 'EnvironoToent Audit: Concerns About Water Pollution' organized by the office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) here. NEPA which would be a 36