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Across the United States, 118 cement plants in 38 states spew a continuous stream of toxic pollutants into the air we breathe. As they burn coal to produce cement, the kilns in these plants also release huge amounts of toxic hydrogen chloride or hydrochloric acid (HCl) into the air. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that these cement kilns also known as cement plants emit more than 15,000 tons of HCl into our air each year.

HCl is irritating and corrosive to any tissue it contacts. It can cause health problems ranging from throat irritation to swelling and spasm of the throat and lung tissues, leading to suffocation and even death. Children may be more vulnerable to hydrochloric acid because of the smaller diameter of their airways.

In December 2005, the EPA announced a proposed rule governing emissions of hazardous air pollutants. The proposal is too weak because it includes no limits on hydrochloric acid pollution from coal-fired cement-making facilities.

Send your letter today to EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson, urging him to comply with the Clean Air Act and protect Americans from toxic air pollution from cement plants. You deserve to breathe clean air.