United States              Solid Waste and          EPA530-F-99-023
                 Environmental Protection Agency   Emergency Response          August 1999
                                       (5305W)               www.epa.gov/osw

                 Office of Solid Waste
    c/EPA   Environmental
                 Fact  Sheet
                 MANAGEMENT STANDARDS PROPOSED
                 FOR CEMENT KILN  DUST WASTE

                    The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is promoting pollution prevention,
                 recycling, and safer disposal of cement kiln dust (CKD) by pro- posing
                 management standards for this waste. The Agency believes that these
                 management standards are a creative, affordable, and common sense approach
                 that can protect human health and the environment without im- posing
                 unnecessary regulatory burdens on the cement kiln industry. These standards
                 provide a new, tailored framework that safeguards ground water and limits risk
                 from releases of dust to air.

Background
   Since 1980, cement kiln dust and certain other wastes have been excluded from
otherwise applicable hazardous waste regulations under Subtitle C of the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). As required by RCRA, EPA studied the adverse
affects on human health and the environment from the disposal of cement kiln dust. The
Agency found that some environmental harm results from CKD waste, and in 1993,
reported these and other findings to Congress. Subsequently, Congress  required EPA to
determine the appropriate regulatory framework for managing cement kiln dust waste.

   In 1995, EPA determined that some additional control of cement kiln dust was needed.
Although current disposal practices cause some environmental damage, the Agency found
that regulating cement kiln dust as a hazardous waste was not appropriate. Since some
controls are needed, EPA is proposing a tailored set of standards for managing cement
kiln dust waste.

Action
   EPA is proposing options to mitigate risk from the mismanagement of cement kiln dust
waste. The Agency's preferred option is to provide management standards whereby CKD
remains  a nonhazardous waste so long as the waste is managed according to the
requirements. Cement kiln dust becomes a regulated hazardous waste only if significant
violations of the management standards occur.

   Under EPA's proposed standards, cement kiln dust is to be managed in landfills
designed to meet specific performance requirements that protect ground water from toxic
metals. In addition to performance criteria, the Agency is proposing technology-based
standards that meet the performance criteria, such as using composite liners in landfills.
Requirements for ground-water monitoring, corrective action, closure, and post-closure

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care also are included.

   To control releases of cement kiln dust to air, EPA is proposing a performance
standard that requires facility owners and operators to take measures to prevent releases
from landfills, handling conveyances, or storage areas. As an alternative to the
performance-based standard, the Agency is proposing technology-based standards that
require: (1) compacting and periodic wetting of CKD managed in landfills; (2) on-site
handling of CKD in closed, covered vehicles and conveyance devices; and (3) keeping
cement kiln dust in enclosed tanks, containers, and buildings when temporarily stored for
disposal or sale.

   Cement kiln dust frequently is used for beneficial agricultural applications. When used
for these purposes, the Agency proposes concentration limits for arsenic, cadmium, lead,
thallium, and chlorinated dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans.
   Other options discussed for managing cement kiln dust include:
   !  The development of CKD waste management regulations by individual states. EPA
      would develop regulations governing cement kiln dust in states without regulatory
      controls.
   !  The adoption of EPA's proposed management standards by individual states. If
      enough states adopt the proposed standards, the Agency would take no further
      action on cement kiln dust.
   !  A two-tiered approach in which cement kilns burning hazardous waste are
      regulated as hazardous waste generators. Kilns that do not burn hazardous waste
      would only follow the proposed management standards.
   !  A voluntary operating agreement between the cement kiln industry and EPA in
      which CKD remains nonhazardous and the industry ensures the safe management
      of CKD.

Impact
   In 1990, the cement industry generated an estimated 12.7 million metric tons of
cement kiln dust from 111 plants in 38 states, 4 million metric tons of which were
disposed of in piles, quarries, and landfills. In 1995, the industry disposed of an estimated
3.3 million metric tons of cement kiln dust. Currently, 110 Portland cement plants operate
in the United States and Puerto Rico. The chief cement-producing states are California,
Texas, Pennsylvania, and Michigan.

For More  Information
   The Federal Register notice, this fact sheet, and other documents related to this action
are available in electronic format on the Internet at . For additional information or to order paper copies of any
documents, call the RCRA Hotline. Callers within the Washington Metropolitan  Area
must dial 703-412-9810 or TDD 703-412-3323 (hearing impaired). Long-distance callers
may call 1-800-424-9346 or TDD 1-800-553-7672. The RCRA Hotline operates  weekdays,
9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Address written requests to: RCRA-Docket@epa.gov or RCRA
Information Center (5305W), US EPA, 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460.

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