Illinois plants agree to reduce emissions

St. Mary's Cement Inc. and St. Barbara's Cement Inc., in Dixon, Illinois, USA, have agreed to install pollution control equipment by April 30, 2009. This is in response to an $800.000 fine in relation to a violation of the US Clean Air Act and will seek to reduce harmful emissions. Three of the four cement production lines will achieve improvements as a result, reducing smog-forming nitrogen oxide (NOx) by approximately 2.700 tons per year. St. Mary is owned by Brazilian cement group Votorantim Cimentos.