Lafarge Cement Plant

The New York State Department of Health (NYS DOH), in partnership with the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, completed a public health assessment in July 2013 for communities near the Lafarge Cement Plant in Ravena, New York. The assessment was done in response to concerns expressed by some community members about releases from operations at the cement plant and possible impacts to health of the community. In an effort to address concerns (past, present and future), the NYS DOH completed the health assessment in two phases.

  • In the first phase (Phase One), the NYS DOH summarized all available environmental and health data for communities within a six ZIP Code area surrounding the cement plant.
  • In the second phase (Phase Two), the NYS DOH used the results from Phase One to determine the likelihood that contaminants and dust released from the cement plant might harm health.

Major Findings & Results

Major findings and results from the NYS DOH Lafarge Cement Plant Health Assessment:

  • Breathing the ground-level air concentrations of metals (e.g., mercury), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, carbon monoxide, lead, particulate matter, dioxins, furans, hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds and ammonia released in cement kiln stack emissions is not expected to harm people's health.
  • For the general public, breathing ground-level air concentrations of sulfur dioxide or nitrogen dioxide released in the kiln stack emissions is not expected to harm people's health.
  • Touching, breathing or accidentally eating dust that originated from the Ravena cement plant and other sources is not expected to harm the health of people who reside, work, or attend school in the community.
  • Current health status of the communities near the cement plant is similar to the health status of other areas in the region and state.

Final Health Assessment

Site Chronology

Information Sheets

Additional Information

Center for Environmental Health
Outreach and Education Group
Empire State Plaza-Corning Tower, Room 1642
Albany, New York 12237
ceheduc@health.state.ny.us or 518-402-7530