Cement Plant Agrees to Pay EPA Fine

By Daniel Hawn

Published on October 03, 2006

In the agreement, Lehigh Cement Co. said it would not contest the EPA’s charges, but neither denied nor acknowledged any wrongdoing. The agreement included a fine of $84,378.

The EPA had cited Lehigh for failing to restrict cement kiln exhaust gas temperatures to levels that comply with furan and dioxin emission limits. Dioxins have been linked to liver damage and, along with furans, may cause cancer in humans.

The agency also charged Lehigh with violating opacity limits, which restrict the amount of light that may be clouded by dust emissions. According to the federal Clean Air Act, visible emissions may not top 20 percent opacity. Individuals who are most vulnerable to health problems from high amounts of dust include children, the elderly, and people who have heart or lung conditions.

Tim Matz, Lehigh’s corporate environmental manager, said that while the plant was cited for kiln temperatures that exceeded EPA standards, the company never exceeded limits on dioxin or furan levels. As a result, he said, Lehigh feels there was never any danger to people's health or the environment.

To ensure the plant complies with EPA standards, a new alarm, additional employee training, and an updated checklist have been implemented, Matz said.

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