| Emissions Monitoring and Reporting Standard |
In 2003, Holcim (US) completed implementation of the Holcim Ltd Emissions Monitoring and Reporting Standard (EMR). The EMR standard dictates the methodology for measuring and recording air emissions from our facilities. The standard is three-pronged: 1. The EMR standard requires implementation of continuous emission monitoring equipment to measure air emissions of nitrous gases, sulfer dioxide, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and volatile organic compounds. 2. The standard requires annual stack tests for heavy metals, dioxins/furans, hydrogen chloride, benzene, and ammonia. 3. It requires equipment certification at least once per year by an external, qualified organization. This standard is often more stringent than corresponding federal or state requirements and allows Holcim (US) to compare its performance to other Holcim Group companies as a means of spurring continuous improvement. The standard prescribes a common methodology for measuring and reporting emissions, which will allow data comparison across the Group and performance benchmarking and improvement. To implement the standard, all plants are required to install the necessary monitoring equipment and to ensure adequate technical expertise to use it. |
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What is being monitored? Nitrous gases are formed in the kiln system primarily when nitrogen in the air flowing into the kiln oxidizes due to high temperatures. The amount of nitrous gases produced is a function of process type (wet or dry) and kiln temperatures and conditions. Sulfer dioxide emissions arise primarily through the conversion of pyretic sulfur in the limestone used to make cement. The concentration of pyretic sulfur varies considerably from plant to plant, according to the geology of the local limestone deposits used in the cement manufacturing. Particulate matter (PM) affects stack emissions’ opacity or the ability to see through the emissions stream leaving the plant stack. PM emissions arise from the entrainment of finely ground raw materials and products in the exhaust gases. Process emissions of PM from our cement plants are controlled through the use of bag houses and electrostatic precipitators that clean the gases prior to their release into the atmosphere. Trace amounts of heavy metals and volatile organic compounds may also be released during the cement manufacturing process. Organic emissions from cement plants are largely a result of the organic content of the natural raw materials used. Dioxins are a by-product of combustion. Dioxins are chemical substances that are found in very small amounts in the environment all around us, including air, water, and soil. Many dioxins result from combustion activities such as backyard trash burning, residential fireplaces, diesel trucks, forest fires, barbeque grills, and cigarettes. Holcim (US) conducts extensive testing to ensure that any compounds detected are in compliance with applicable emissions limits and at levels below those that could present health or environmental risks. |
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