Environmental Protection

Cement kilns burn huge amounts of fuel to break down raw materials, such as limestone, in the process of making cement. Although coal and other fossil fuels have been used extensively in the past, cement kilns are increasingly turning toward other lower cost fuels, such as hazardous waste. In February 1995, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determined that dust from cement kilns burning hazardous waste as well as those from kilns that do not burn hazardous waste warranted greater federal control to protect human health and the environment. EPA noted that as of 1990, cement kilns generated 3.6 million metric tons of dust that was placed in waste piles, quarries, or landfills, most of which were unlined and uncovered. This report discusses (1) what priorities EPA set in making its decision on cement kiln dust; (2) whether EPA is authorized to modify hazardous waste management requirements in regulating cement kiln dust; (3) whether EPA believes that dust from cement kilns burning hazardous waste should be regulated the same as dust from those not burning hazardous waste; and (4) whether interim steps can be taken to control cement kiln dust, in light of the risks that EPA believes that this dust poses.

GAO found that EPA: (1) does not give as high a priority to making a cement kiln dust determination as developing standards for other wastes considered to be of higher risk; (2) has the statutory authority to modify its hazardous waste regulations to control cement kiln dust as long as the regulations adequately protect human health and the environment; (3) believes that cement kiln dust from both types of kilns could adversely affect human health and the environment, if improperly managed; (4) has not yet determined whether it will subject the dust from the two types of kilns to the same regulations; and (5) is considering interim actions to control cement kiln dust, such as making greater use of existing regulatory authority to enforce controls over the dust and entering into an agreement with the cement kiln industry to impose additional controls over the dust.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

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