PCA Protests Kiln Regulation

The regulations proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency would impose the nation's first limits on mercury emissions from existing Portland cement kilns, bolster the limits for new kilns and increase monitoring requirements.

Advocates for the cement industry in the U.S. and environmentalists are facing off in hearings as federal regulators call for comment on new rules to limit emissions from the energy-intensive kilns that are core to the business. The Portland Cement Association (PCA), says the rules would be ?EUR??,,????'?????<

Portland cement is the most commonly used type of cement in the world. The association contends the regulations would result in $340 million in new costs to the industry, lead to a 10 percent drop in domestic production, make the business vulnerable to out-sourcing and jeopardize industry stability as the country seeks to pull out of its economic troubles.

Cement production is responsible for about 5 percent of the world?EUR??,,????'?????<