Children exposed to lead can suffer from damage to the brain and central nervous system, slow growth, hyperactivity, and behavior and learning problems. Adults exposed to lead can suffer difficulties during pregnancy, high blood pressure, nervous disorders and memory and concentration problems. Mercury exposure can lead to similar nervous system disorder, particularly in newborn infants whose mothers are exposed during pregnancy. These toxic substances all accumulate in the environment, leading to potential long-term health impacts. This final rule applies to hazardous waste incinerators and cement kilns and lightweight aggregate kilns that burn hazardous waste as fuel.
Cement kilns receive liquid hazardous waste to burn as fuel to run their cement processes.
Cement is produced by heating mixtures of limestone and other minerals or additives at high temperatures in a rotary kiln, followed by cooling, grinding, and finish mixing. Lightweight aggregate kilns produce lightweight aggregate and burn liquid hazardous waste as fuel to run their processes. It is produced either for structural or thermal insulation purposes.