Cleaning Up Mercury, Protecting Our Health
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Email this pageCement kilns are some of the nation's biggest mercury polluters. These huge industrial facilities spew thousands of pounds of mercury and millions of pounds of other toxic air pollutants into our air and water every year. But despite this obvious threat, the Bush Environmental Protection Agency did nothing.
On August 9, 2010, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson announced final rules to reduce air pollution from cement kilns. The final rules will cut emissions of mercury and particulate matter by 92 percent, a significant reduction of these dangerous pollutants. Earthjustice was instrumental in securing these new rules, as were the many thousands of emails, letters, and phone calls to the EPA from our supporters.
Mercury From Above
Cement Kilns in Seattle
This video features two Seattle cement kilns, located just outside of downtown Seattle.
Cement Kiln in Cupertino
This video features the Cupertino cement kiln, located just outside San Francisco.
Power plants: Still Mercury Polluters
Power plants remain our nation's biggest mercury polluters overall. It's no surprise: many of them burn millions of tons of coal each year, and the government has done little to stop them. But the technology exists to clean these plants up significantly. Doing so would have a big impact right away and wouldn't only make fish caught in local lakes, streams, and rivers safer to eat: we'd all be safer, too.
We went to court and defeated a plan that would have allowed even more mercury from power plants. Because of our victory, much stronger limits on mercury emissions from power plants are scheduled to come out in 2009. We'll keep you up-to-date on the progress and what you can do to help.
