TXI to idle four Midlothian cement kilns
Saturday, Aug 9, 2008
Posted on Sat, Aug. 09, 2008
By AMAN BATHEJA
abatheja@star-telegram.com
TXI, the largest cement producer in Texas, will idle its four biggest-polluting kilns in Midlothian, the company announced Friday.
The company will temporarily shut down the plants that use a "wet" production process. Environmentalists say those plants release far more nitrogen oxides into the air than less-polluting dry kilns.
TXI will continue to maintain its dry kiln in Midlothian, company spokesman Randy Jones said.
The kilns will take about 65 days to shut down, Jones said.
After that, some employees will be laid off while others will be furloughed and possibly recalled later, he said.
Though environmentalists were quick to applaud the company’s move, Jones stressed that the decision wasn’t made because of pollution concerns. Rather, it was largely because of a sluggish economy.
"It’s not a secret to anybody that certainly residential construction has slowed down in Texas as well as throughout the United States and that has some impact on other markets like commercial," Jones said.
The dry kiln was selected to remain in operation because it produces more cement than any of the other kilns, Jones said.
Over the past year, several cities including Fort Worth, Arlington and Dallas have passed resolutions calling for the purchase of only "green" cement from less-polluting plants.
Jim Schermbeck with Downwinders at Risk credited the cities’ resolutions with forcing TXI to shut its plants.
"They saw the future coming with more and more of these resolutions coming out from all these cities," Schermbeck said.
Jones wouldn’t speculate when asked whether the decision to stop production at its four wet kilns may turn out to be a permanent break from that production method.
"We’re idling these kilns on a temporary basis and will not make a decision based on what the environmental groups are saying," Jones said.
Schermbeck said groups like his will continue to pressure TXI to permanently shut down the kilns or retrofit them so they produce less pollution, though he doubted that would be necessary.
"I would be very surprised if these wet kilns ever came online again given the economic disadvantage," Schermbeck said. "This is more or less their swan song, but of course TXI is loath to admit that right now."
Tom "Smitty" Smith of the Texas chapter of Public Citizen in Austin said TXI may have been reacting to anticipated action from state officials to achieve federal emissions requirements for the Metroplex that are required by the Environmental Protection Agency.
"You can’t squeeze any more clean air out of the system without going after the kilns," Smith said.
Regardless of TXI’s reasoning, Smith said, he hopes that the plants stayed closed for good.
"It is our hope that they will say we’ve made enough profit out of their kilns and it’s time to retire them," Smith said. "Everyone in the Dallas-Fort Worth area would breathe better if they would."
It’s not a secret to anybody that certainly residential construction has slowed down in Texas as well as throughout the United States and that has some impact on other markets like commercial."
TXI spokesman Randy Jones
This is more or less their [the kilns’] swan song."
of
Jim Schermbeck
Downwinders at Risk
Posted on Sat, Aug. 09, 2008
By AMAN BATHEJA
abatheja@star-telegram.com
TXI, the largest cement producer in Texas, will idle its four biggest-polluting kilns in Midlothian, the company announced Friday.
The company will temporarily shut down the plants that use a "wet" production process. Environmentalists say those plants release far more nitrogen oxides into the air than less-polluting dry kilns.
TXI will continue to maintain its dry kiln in Midlothian, company spokesman Randy Jones said.
The kilns will take about 65 days to shut down, Jones said.
After that, some employees will be laid off while others will be furloughed and possibly recalled later, he said.
Though environmentalists were quick to applaud the company’s move, Jones stressed that the decision wasn’t made because of pollution concerns. Rather, it was largely because of a sluggish economy.
"It’s not a secret to anybody that certainly residential construction has slowed down in Texas as well as throughout the United States and that has some impact on other markets like commercial," Jones said.
The dry kiln was selected to remain in operation because it produces more cement than any of the other kilns, Jones said.
Over the past year, several cities including Fort Worth, Arlington and Dallas have passed resolutions calling for the purchase of only "green" cement from less-polluting plants.
Jim Schermbeck with Downwinders at Risk credited the cities’ resolutions with forcing TXI to shut its plants.
"They saw the future coming with more and more of these resolutions coming out from all these cities," Schermbeck said.
Jones wouldn’t speculate when asked whether the decision to stop production at its four wet kilns may turn out to be a permanent break from that production method.
"We’re idling these kilns on a temporary basis and will not make a decision based on what the environmental groups are saying," Jones said.
Schermbeck said groups like his will continue to pressure TXI to permanently shut down the kilns or retrofit them so they produce less pollution, though he doubted that would be necessary.
"I would be very surprised if these wet kilns ever came online again given the economic disadvantage," Schermbeck said. "This is more or less their swan song, but of course TXI is loath to admit that right now."
Tom "Smitty" Smith of the Texas chapter of Public Citizen in Austin said TXI may have been reacting to anticipated action from state officials to achieve federal emissions requirements for the Metroplex that are required by the Environmental Protection Agency.
"You can’t squeeze any more clean air out of the system without going after the kilns," Smith said.
Regardless of TXI’s reasoning, Smith said, he hopes that the plants stayed closed for good.
"It is our hope that they will say we’ve made enough profit out of their kilns and it’s time to retire them," Smith said. "Everyone in the Dallas-Fort Worth area would breathe better if they would."
It’s not a secret to anybody that certainly residential construction has slowed down in Texas as well as throughout the United States and that has some impact on other markets like commercial."
TXI spokesman Randy Jones
This is more or less their [the kilns’] swan song."
of
Jim Schermbeck
Downwinders at Risk
posted by Downwinders At Risk at
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