By Barbara Behrendt, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
BROOKSVILLE — Cemex has been slapped with a $525,000 fine for emitting mercury at levels nearly 10 times the allowable limit, and the company has been ordered to make changes to one of its Hernando cement kilns to alleviate the problem.
In an agreement with the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation last month, Cemex was ordered to complete a series of actions to bring the kiln's levels of mercury back within compliance and to ensure that no more violations occur.
State DEP officials said Wednesday they could not answer any questions about health risks posed to Cemex employees or local residents, and suggested that a medical professional be consulted.
But local Health Department officials said they had not heard about the problem.
"I had no idea there was any violation … of any of those standards,'' said Al Gray, the ...