Dallas City Council Passes Nation’s First “Green Cement” Ordinance
From the Plume News in June:
Dallas became a national environmental leader May 23rd when its city council voted in favor of an ordinance that gives official preference to the purchase of cement for city projects from newer and cleaner “dry process” kilns over product from more polluting “wet process” ones. It is the first such policy in the U.S. and could have a profound impact on local air quality. (A copy of the "green cement" resolution that Dallas adopted is attached to this e-mail). Downwinders at Risk was a major force behind the ordinance's passage.
Defying a threat from the president of Kansas City-based Ash Grove Cement to sue the city if it went forward with the policy, the council voted 7 to 3 to adopt language that authorizes the City Manager “to specify the purchase of dry kin cement as the base bid in City of Dallas bid packages.” Ash Grove operates three wet kilns. TXI operates four wet kilns and one larger dry kiln. Holcim operates two large dry kilns.
"Wet kilns" are based on a design abandoned by the cement industry over 25 years ago. They use large amounts of water as slurry to mix ingredients for cement. That water then must be evaporated in furnaces, or kilns, to produce the final product, called clinker. They are notoriously energy inefficient and usually lack even the most basic pollution controls such as “scrubbers” for Sulfur Dioxide. In contrast, dry process kilns mix their ingredients without water, usually have modern controls, and produce much less pollution.
Dallas Mayor Laura Miller said she plans to press for adoption of the dry kiln preference among all the cities already aligned against the construction of TXU’s coal plants. “This is a model for the future of environmentalism. Instead of fighting permits, we can change the behavior of these companies in the marketplace directly. We can vote for cleaner air with our pocketbooks.”
Downwinders is looking for any and all North Texas city councils, school boards, hospitals, and educational institutions to follow Dallas' example. We need to keep momentum going. Please contact us about opportunities you may personally know about or with which you have a connection.
Dallas became a national environmental leader May 23rd when its city council voted in favor of an ordinance that gives official preference to the purchase of cement for city projects from newer and cleaner “dry process” kilns over product from more polluting “wet process” ones. It is the first such policy in the U.S. and could have a profound impact on local air quality. (A copy of the "green cement" resolution that Dallas adopted is attached to this e-mail). Downwinders at Risk was a major force behind the ordinance's passage.
Defying a threat from the president of Kansas City-based Ash Grove Cement to sue the city if it went forward with the policy, the council voted 7 to 3 to adopt language that authorizes the City Manager “to specify the purchase of dry kin cement as the base bid in City of Dallas bid packages.” Ash Grove operates three wet kilns. TXI operates four wet kilns and one larger dry kiln. Holcim operates two large dry kilns.
"Wet kilns" are based on a design abandoned by the cement industry over 25 years ago. They use large amounts of water as slurry to mix ingredients for cement. That water then must be evaporated in furnaces, or kilns, to produce the final product, called clinker. They are notoriously energy inefficient and usually lack even the most basic pollution controls such as “scrubbers” for Sulfur Dioxide. In contrast, dry process kilns mix their ingredients without water, usually have modern controls, and produce much less pollution.
Dallas Mayor Laura Miller said she plans to press for adoption of the dry kiln preference among all the cities already aligned against the construction of TXU’s coal plants. “This is a model for the future of environmentalism. Instead of fighting permits, we can change the behavior of these companies in the marketplace directly. We can vote for cleaner air with our pocketbooks.”
Downwinders is looking for any and all North Texas city councils, school boards, hospitals, and educational institutions to follow Dallas' example. We need to keep momentum going. Please contact us about opportunities you may personally know about or with which you have a connection.
posted by Downwinders At Risk at
9:24 AM
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