Mercury controls for the cement industry

In May of 2009, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a number of new limits on emissions of pollutants from the cement industry under the provisions of the Clean Air Act. Among the proposed limits, a new set of emissions standards for mercury has garnered a great deal of attention from environmentalists and industry advocates alike. While the limits have not been finalized, it has become clear that a number of plants will need some type of control for mercury emissions. This paper explores several options for reducing mercury emissions in the cement industry.