Pollution from Lehigh Cement Plant

By Barry Chang

Pollution from Lehigh Cement Plant produces an estimated 500 lbs of mercury annually which might cause developmental problems with the brain of the young and unborn.

1. Mercury is known to be one of the most toxic substances on earth, surpassed only by plutonium. Its most significant impacts appear to be on the neurological development of the unborn and young.

2. Cement kilns and coal fired power plants are the most mercury polluting industrial operations in the U. S.

3. How many Cupertino residents know that within our city is the 5th most mercury polluting industrial plant in the U. S? That is, our own Lehigh cement kiln, which reported dumping 496 pounds of mercury into Cupertino air in 2006. (ref) Would it not be ironic if people flock to Cupertino for the quality of our schools, not knowing that their children can be harmed by the toxic effects of mercury pollution in the air they breath.

4. Given this threat, it has been shocking through informal canvassing to discover how many Cupertino residents are unaware of the cement kiln's operation and even more shocking to discover many who are aware of the kiln's pollution, are unaware that it contains dangerous levels of mercury.

5. A function of the City Council should be to educate residents about dangers to their health and safety. Only informed citizens working *with* government agencies can take the necessary actions to protect the public's health and safety.

I am the first candidate for the Cupertino City Council, who has raised the issue of the Lehigh Cement Kiln's mercury pollution as a campaign issue. More than that, if elected, I pledge to do everything possible, working with the Council and Cupertino residents, to remove the cement kiln as a source of mercury pollution. There are many things together that we can do, in spite of the fact that the City does not have jurisdiction over the pollution emitted from the Lehigh operation. Here are some, but I also welcome your suggestions.

1. Lobby the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) to strictly enforce any and all air quality requirements. This should include revoking their operating permit for significant and persistent violations.

2. Lobby the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to strengthen and enforce limits on the permitted levels of mercury pollution, especially in residential neighborhoods.

3. Set up a web cam to monitor the plum of pollution coming from the cement kiln, so all Cupertino residents have access to this visual record.

4. Lobby the BAAAQMD and the EPA to implement independent 7 x 24 monitoring of every potential source of mercury pollution of our air. At present, nobody even knows how many pounds of mercury are emitted each year. We cannot control what we do not even measure.

5. Investigate whether it is possible to restrict the size and/or number of trucks going to and leaving the cement kiln. Why could they not be required to use the rail line instead of city streets?

6. Investigate whether hemp cement (developed and used by the Egyptians) might actually be a viable alternative to limestone cement. There is documented evidence that hemp cement is both lighter and stronger than limestone cement.

I have been gratified to learn that other candidates for the City Council have joined me in voicing concern about the Lehigh Cement Kiln's mercury pollution. I count this as an endorsement of my candidacy. However, to my knowledge, I am the only candidate (so far) who has proposed concrete (no pun intended) specific steps that residents and the City Council can take together to clean up this blight on our otherwise beautiful environment. This is a moral imperative. We owe it to future generations to not leave them with a legacy of autism and other brain injuries caused by corporate greed.

Elect me to the City Council and I pledge to work with you to fix this health and safety problem.

Important References:-

EPA Mercury Emissions Comparison - Our local Hanson Permanente Cement Co. (Lehigh Cement) is the #5 highest producer of mercury pollution in the nation out of top 100 sites listed by EPA.

Mercury Pollution from Cement Kilns Double Previous Estimates

Terminate Operation of the Hanson Permanente Cement Kiln in Cupertino CA 

Berry Chang