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International Cement Industry
As public opposition and stricter regulations have reduced the number of
kilns burning hazardous waste in the U.S., the cement industry has sought to
export the profitable practice to other countries. Here at Downwinders,
we’ve heard from citizens battling proposed or on-going waste burning at
cement plants in Corsica, France, Britain, the Netherlands, Mexico, and
Indonesia.
As far as we know, there’s no accurate inventory of waste-burning cement
plants around the world. We've compiled a list as best we could (see below).
Through mergers and buy-outs, some of the same companies burning hazardous
waste or tires in the US have corporate ties to plants burning waste and
tires in Europe, South America or Asia.
Many of the same multinational polluters sending wastes to be burned in
kilns at TXI or other plants in the US also send wastes to these foreign
kilns for the same reason - to save money by using under-regulated
incinerators. Just like in the US, the world’s cement industry is
experiencing a building boom. New plants are being built in third world and
first world countries alike. Large new expansions are being requested. These
“supersizings” of existing plants can come with a new list of “fuels” to be
burned too, including tires and hazardous wastes. This wave of new threats
has predictably resulted in new opposition.
UNITED KINGDOM NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR CLEANER KILNS (NACK)
www.nack.org.uk
Probably the most active and organized opposition to cement plant
pollution on the planet right now can be found in England. NACK is the
national confederation of local groups fighting specific cement plants and
waste burning. This site is very informative even if you don’t live near a
limey smokestack.
THE AIR THAT WE BREATHE GROUP
http://www.airthatwebreathe.demon.co.uk/ Local group in Wiltshire fighting a tire-burning Blue Circle cement
plant. Blue Circle owns cement plants in the US.
CAMPAIGN AGAINST the NEW KILN (CANK)
http://www.cank.org.uk/ Local group fighting new waste-burning Castle Cement Company cement plant
proposed for Padeswood. Anyone who is running a campaign can email the
information to
mailing@cank.org.uk and they will be happy to post it on their campaign
page.
Local group fighting a waste-burning Castle Cement Company plant in
Lancashire.
MEXICO BURNING OUR HEALTH: HAZARDOUS WASTE INCINERATION IN MEXICO CEMENT
KILNS According to the Texas Center for Policy Studies
http://www.texascenter.org/ 21 of 29 Mexican cement
plants had permits to burn hazardous waste in 1997. That year it produced
this primer on cement plant incineration of wastes, including a list of
which Mexican plants burning wastes. Mexico is the country of origin for
cement giant CEMEX, which operates plants in Texas and Ohio. Includes
contacts for Mexico opposition groups.
MAJOR PLAYERS IN THE CEMENT INDUSTRY: HOLDENBANK - World’s largest cement
maker. Known as Holnam in the US.Based in Switzerland. Plants in Midlothian
and other US locations.
LAFARGE - World’s second largest cement maker. Based in France. Plants in
US.
BLUE CIRCLE - Britain’s largest cement maker. Plants in U.S.
CEMEX - National cement maker of Mexico. Plants in U.S. Recently
purchased Houston-based Southdown Cement.
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