Final Rule National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for the Portland Cement Manufacturing Industry and Standards of Performance for Portland Cement Plants Amendments


FINAL RULE: NATIONAL EMISSION STANDARDS FOR HAZARDOUS AIR POLLUTANTS FOR THE
PORTLAND CEMENT MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY AND STANDARDS OF
PERFORMANCE FOR PORTLAND CEMENT PLANTS: AMENDMENTS

FACT SHEET

ACTION

On July 1, 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) amended two rules the
agency issued in February 2013: air toxics standards for new and existing cement kilns, and
new source performance standards (NSPS) for new kilns.

•	In this action, EPA removes the affirmative defense provisions from the final air toxics
standards in light of a recent Court decision vacating such provisions.

•	These amendments also:

o clarify the definition of rolling average, run average and operating day;

o restore the table of emission limits which apply until the September 9, 2015
compliance date;

o provide a compliance scaling alternative for sources that have a wet scrubber, tray
tower, or dry scrubber relative to the hydrogen chloride (HCI) compliance
demonstration;

o remove a provision allowing the substitution of emissions data that was
inadvertently added to the final rule (40 CFR 60.64(c)(2));

o add the parameter of temperature to the startup and shutdown requirements and
clarify requirement of section 63.1346(g)(3) is for hazardous air pollutants;

o clarify language related to span values for HCI and mercury; and

o make technical corrections related to inadvertent typographical errors.

•	Portland cement manufacturing is an energy-intensive process that grinds and heats a
mixture of raw materials such as limestone, clay, sand and iron ore in a rotary kiln. That
product, called clinker, is cooled, ground and then mixed with a small amount of gypsum to
produce cement.

•	A variety of pollutants are emitted from the burning of fuels and heating of raw materials.
Emissions also can occur from grinding, cooling and materials-handling steps in the
manufacturing process.

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BACKGROUND

• On February 13, 2013, EPA finalized the amended air toxics standards that will reduce air
emissions of mercury, non-dioxin organic air toxics (measured as total hydrocarbons),
hydrochloric acid and non-mercury toxic metals (measured as PM) from both new and
existing cement kilns. The rules apply both to "major" and "area" source kilns that emit
toxic air pollutants. Air toxics, also known as hazardous air pollutants, are known or
suspected to cause cancer or other serious health effects.

• A "major source" of air toxics emits 10 or more tons a year of a single air toxic, or 25 or
more tons of a combination of air toxics. Sources emitting lesser amounts are known as
"area sources."

• Following publication of the 2013 rules in the Federal Register, the EPA received petitions
for reconsideration. The petitions were filed by the National Resources Defense Council and
the Sierra Club, with CEMEX Inc. and other industry stakeholders filing together as
interveners.

• On April 18, 2014, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
found that EPA's PM emission standards and extended compliance date were legally sound,
but vacated the affirmative defense provision.

TO READ THE FINAL RULE AND OTHER INFORMATION:

• Visit EPA's website at: http://www.epa.gov/airquality/cement/actions.html to read the rule
and fact sheets summarizing today's final action.

• Other places to read the rule and background information (use Docket ID No. EPA- HQ-OAR-
2011-0817):

• EPA's electronic public docket and comment system at http://www.regulations.gov.

• The EPA Docket Center's Public Reading Room (for hard copies).

o The Public Reading Room is located at EPA Headquarters, Room Number 3334 in
EPA WJC West Building, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington,

o DC. Hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. eastern standard time,

Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays.

o You will have to show photo identification, pass through a metal detector, and
sign the EPA visitor log. Any materials you bring with you will be processed

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through an X-ray machine as well. You will be provided a badge that must be
visible at all times.

Additional technical information on Portland cement manufacturing is available at
http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/pcem/pcempg.html.

For further technical information about the rule, contact Sharon Nizich of EPA's Office of Air
Quality Planning and Standards at (919) 541-2825 or nizich.sharon@epa.gov .

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