The US Environmental Protection Agency is considering new rules to reduce airborne mercury emissions from cement kilns with new rules issued on Tuesday. The new regulations would require US cement plants to lower emissions of mercury and other emissions by over 80% by 2013.

Read more: US regulator proposes lower emissions ceilings

Lafarge UK is preparing to shut down its Westbury cement manufacturing operations by the of this week. [$]

Read more: Lafarge UK shuddering Westbury plant this week

Venezuela's cement production capacity, largely output by companies that were seized by the government last year, now stands 9,1 million tons per year, with production in the first quarter rising 7% over the same period last year. [$]

Read more: Venezuela production output rises 7%

In 2009, Brazil's cement major Votorantim launch operations at two new factories in the Northeast in January, in the coming days a new unit will come on-line and another one this summer. [$]

Read more: Votorantim to launch four units in '09