Cement

Cement is more than just a widespread building material. Often overlooked by many people, the fact is that the pollution and corruption caused by cement plants in the area have done much more harm than good. While it may seem like cement plants are only beneficial due to their use as necessary building materials, the unavoidable truth is that cement plants pave the way to deleterious effects on the surrounding air quality, and often provide insufficient workers’ rights. By contributing to smog, cement plants harm the environment of local towns. For example, the Lehigh cement plant in Cupertino is one such contributor. Gaining frightening power as a corporation, the Lehigh Permanente Cement was honored as the Large Business of the Year in 2001-2002 by the Cupertino Chamber of Commerce. Although the cement plant received this reward, the price it comes with is not acceptable. Even if the cement plant is able to gross large profit, a large part of this profit is usually spread abroad, while the pollution remains domestically in our towns. The Lehigh Cement plant ranks as the fourth largest cement plant in terms of kiln mercury pollution.

It gets worse: Santa Clara County has favored the big corporation over the community once again, in a unanimous decision voting for Lehigh Heidelberg Cement Group over the citizens. The board ruled in favor of the “vested rights” of large companies, meaning that the rights given to the company at its founding still apply today. Now the company does not have to apply for a land permit, cementing a right to freely use public lands. This means that the land from the mines can now expand effortlessly without so much as public approval. Many people led a sticky protest, including Councilman Barry Chang, due to the potential health detriment from expanding a cement plant. The Councilman and his fellows formed a group called the No Toxic Air in response to this expansion. The group appealed to the County Board by citing evidence of cases that overruled “vested rights” when public health concerns were present. However the Board grayed over the examples and ignored the appeal. In response, No Toxic Air is considering the possibility of challenging the board’s decision in court, or seeking a referendum on the issue before voters. Cement creates gray areas and unnecessary problems, which paves the way to future dilemmas in our society, a burden that we do not need.