Re: cement kilns

["Jon Campbell" <jon@cqs.com>]

  Hello,
  
  This may be a little naive, but please bear with me.
  
  If a cement kiln uses natural gas or electricity for the kiln,
  and the source of the cement is ordinary, pure, Portland
  cement and non-contaminated fill, then a cement kiln
  should have ZERO dioxin output, since there are few
  sources of benzene rings and chlorine.
  
  If a kiln uses contaminated ingredients containing
  organochlorines, then you'll get dioxin.
  
  If a kiln uses contaminated fuel, such as hazwaste
  containing organochlorines, then you'll get dioxin.
  
  If a kiln uses diesel fuel, which is oil cracked with
  organochlorine solvents, then you'll get dioxin.
  
  I believe, from reading those sections of Dying From Dioxin,
  that the EPA believes that a fairly substantial amount of
  the airborne dioxin contamination in the U.S. comes from
  cement kilns that burn hazwaste.
  
  It is a victory for the environment to get a cement kiln
  to stop using hazwaste as a fuel. All that burning hazwaste
  does is transfer its hazardous constituents into the sky and
  into toxic ash. Not a good thing.
  
  If, after a cement kiln stops using hazwaste for fuel, it is
  still producing dioxin, then we find out what is causing the
  production of dioxin and stop it. End of story. Further
  contamination by dioxin must stop. No matter where
  it comes from. Period. It would be
  really silly if we need to debate this point, wouldn't it????
  
  Thanks
  Jon