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[BigRedDog]

I realize this might not be the most historically significant place in Dundee but there have to be some stories to be told.  I believe it was originally Dundee Cement, then Holnam Cement and finally owned by a Swiss company, Holcim Cement.  The production plant itself is in the process of being demolished.  There are a few YouTubes below.  I know a few guys that worked there over the years and hopefully there are some posters here that may know have some info to post. 

Here's an aerial view...  what I'm posting is from within the last 2 years but eventually Google may update their aerials so if anyone finds a good aerial photo to link to please add it.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=dundee,+mi&hl=en&ll=41.993651,-83.660181&spn=0.006467,0.013937&sll=41.867824,-83.452155&sspn=0.025918,0.055747&t=h&hnear=Dundee,+Monroe,+Michigan&z=17

While lots of county residents are probably aware of the plant itself (you could see [and smell]) the huge smokestack for miles, I was surprised at the size of the quarry operation. 

The last few times I was there was to take tires for recycling.  That is something I really miss...   and from the number of tires laying along the county roads I'm not the only one

Bierlein Demolition from Midland is just finishing up a year long demolition project at the site.  I'll have to stop back out there and see what is left.

Dykon Explosive Demolition - Clinker Building Dundee, MI

Holcim (US) Inc. smokestack demolition 08.25.11

[Skittelroo]

quite good info on the history of Holnam, it may be of interest on Dundee's plant :

http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/holnam-inc-history/

Key Dates:

1912:
Ernst Schmidheiny founds Aargauische Portlandcement-Fabrik Holderbank-Wildeggbegan.

1930: Swiss holdings are organized under Holderbank Financière Glaris, Ltd.

1953:Holderbank opens first North American subsidiary.

1958:Dundee Cement Co. is founded.

1978:Dundee acquires Santee Portland Cement Corporation.

1981:Holdernam Inc., a subsidiary of Holderbank, forms its own subsidiary, Holnam Inc.

1986:Holderbank acquires majority interest in Ideal Basic Industries.

1990:Holnam created out of Dundee and Ideal; becomes largest U.S. cement maker.

[Skittelroo]

I would be interested to know if there are any/many asbestos-related illnesses from exposure at the plant.   

[marilyn.monroe]

I would be interested to know if there are any/many asbestos-related illnesses from exposure at the plant.   

Dundee Cement is listed as an Asbestos Job Site. So is Dundee High School.
http://www.duboselawfirm.com/asbestosjobsitesmichigan03.html

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency cited Holcim Inc. in 2006 for alleged clean-air violations, contending that Holcim has exceeded limits on "opacity, or the amount of light obscured by particulates (smoke, dust, ash)."

In addition, the EPA says, Holcim has exceeded temperature limits at its baghouses, which are used as air pollution control devices for the kilns at the facility.
http://www.weitzlux.com/holcim_1936760.html

According to submissions made by Holcim Inc. to the Toxic Release Inventory, maintained by the US Environmental Protection Agency, the cement plant emitted over 2 million pounds of toxic chemicals in 2006 alone.

Such emissions include lead, benzene, mercury and other toxins, which are released from kiln stacks, pre-heaters and cooling towers.

The emissions from the Holcim cement plant may be negatively impacting the air quality in the Village of Dundee and consequently the health of the community.

“Dundee residents have a right to take action if their health and welfare, or the value or the use and enjoyment of their property is being compromised by particles coming from a cement plant,” said Robin Greenwald, head of the Environmental Toxic Torts unit at Weitz & Luxenberg.
http://www.weitzlux.com/holcim-cement_1936791.html

[blue2]

I don't know what it was like living in and around Dundee but the smell was pretty bad sometimes passing by on US23.  I guess with Dundee Cement being a good corporate citizen of Dundee much of it was overlooked.

[marilyn.monroe]

http://www.npr.org/2011/11/10/142183546/epa-regulations-give-kilns-permission-to-pollute


Cement factories are toxic waste "disposal" units. They burn it and use it in the concrete.



Another commonly used treatment is cement based solidification and stabilization.

Cement is used because it can treat a range of hazardous wastes by improving physical characteristics and decreasing the toxicity and transmission of contaminants. The cement produced is categorized into 5 different divisions, depending on its strength and components. This process of converting sludge into cement might include the addition of pH adjustment agents, phosphates, or sulfur reagents to reduce the settling or curing time, increase the compressive strength, or reduce the leach ability of contaminants.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hazardous_waste

Idiots Rule.

I don't know what it was like living in and around Dundee but the smell was pretty bad sometimes passing by on US23.  I guess with Dundee Cement being a good corporate citizen of Dundee much of it was overlooked.

The Village of Dundee obviously put money before citizens.

[Baggins]

Money before people is the American way...

[Monroe Native]

Money before people is the American way...

That plant gave many of my friends jobs that they enjoyed.

They are not suffering from any ailments due to any exposure they got on the job.

The plant was closed due to pollution concerns, and with it their jobs went away.  The company simply couldn't invest the money it would have taken to bring it up to the required standards given the age, output, etc.

Money before people is the way a liberal would put it. 

I thought of the closing of that plant as environment before people.  Many of my friends had to move out of the area due to the change.  Very sad.

[Frenchfry]

That plant gave many of my friends jobs that they enjoyed.

They are not suffering from any ailments due to any exposure they got on the job.

The plant was closed due to pollution concerns, and with it their jobs went away.  The company simply couldn't invest the money it would have taken to bring it up to the required standards given the age, output, etc.

Money before people is the way a liberal would put it. 

I thought of the closing of that plant as environment before people.  Many of my friends had to move out of the area due to the change.  Very sad.

You're so full of crap I bet your eyes are brown.
It's the righties that are overly concerned with $$$
I suspect the cheap-wad owners didn't want to spend the money to bring the plant into compliance and instead chose to shut it down until their lobbyists bribed enough politicians to weaken the regulations. 
And how do you know what ailments your "friends" have Monroe Naive? Or what is attributable to the plant?

Have you given them a thorough examination and are you qualified to do so?

Some ailments take time to appear.

And then there are those that didn't work there...that maybe ingested some polluted well water....or simply came into contact with some affected groundwater....not to mention the contaminated air the residents had to breathe.

Interesting to see you righties waging class warfare...always defending big business and corporations while attacking Unions, teachers, the poor, and regulations of any type.

I'm just not sure which side of your mouth to watch next.

[Monroe Native]

You're so full of crap I bet your eyes are brown.
It's the righties that are overly concerned with $$$
I suspect the cheap-wad owners didn't want to spend the money to bring the plant into compliance and instead chose to shut it down until their lobbyists bribed enough politicians to weaken the regulations. 
And how do you know what ailments your "friends" have Monroe Naive? Or what is attributable to the plant?

Have you given them a thorough examination and are you qualified to do so?

Some ailments take time to appear.

And then there are those that didn't work there...that maybe ingested some polluted well water....or simply came into contact with some affected groundwater....not to mention the contaminated air the residents had to breathe.

Interesting to see you righties waging class warfare...always defending big business and corporations while attacking Unions, teachers, the poor, and regulations of any type.

I'm just not sure which side of your mouth to watch next.

Oddly enough the company took care of the people I know.

Hol-nam found them jobs in the company - hence their move out of the area.  They didn't want to move - but in this economy you keep a job if you have a job.

Yes - companies do cost benefit analysis on their operations.  It became apparent that the cost of the permits and equipment to attempt to bring the plant into compliance exceeded what the company could invest.  Hence the plant was closed, and Liberal environmentalists celebrated that we would no longer have a cement plant in Monroe County.  Who needs cement anyway, right?

I remember the great Jennifer Granholm celebrating the "win" even as she encouraged investments in making movies.

You are right.  All companies are evil.  Only the government will protect us.  Anyone dumb enough to enjoy a job at a company must be a ignorant rightie.

The only thing I am sure of is you are so partisan that you can't consider any side except the one you hear on you liberal talking points.  On that I am not "full of crap."

[Frenchfry]

Oddly enough the company took care of the people I know.

Hol-nam found them jobs in the company - hence their move out of the area.  They didn't want to move - but in this economy you keep a job if you have a job.

Yes - companies do cost benefit analysis on their operations.  It became apparent that the cost of the permits and equipment to attempt to bring the plant into compliance exceeded what the company could invest.  Hence the plant was closed, and Liberal environmentalists celebrated that we would no longer have a cement plant in Monroe County.  Who needs cement anyway, right?

I remember the great Jennifer Granholm celebrating the "win" even as she encouraged investments in making movies.

You are right.  All companies are evil.  Only the government will protect us.  Anyone dumb enough to enjoy a job at a company must be a ignorant rightie.

The only thing I am sure of is you are so partisan that you can't consider any side except the one you hear on you liberal talking points.  On that I am not "full of crap."

The trade-off wasn't worth it.
You pollute...get the boot.
Enough of your corporate brown-nosing. 
One never has to wonder about your position on any particular issue...the Republican platform appears to be your bible.

[Monroe Native]

The trade-off wasn't worth it.
You pollute...get the boot.
Enough of your corporate brown-nosing. 
One never has to wonder about your position on any particular issue...the Republican platform appears to be your bible.

There you have it guests!

Proof that your die hard liberal cares more about shutting down evil, polluting, corporations then YOU having a job in your community.  If you want a job just get the heck out of French Fry's state.  French Fry must have been one of the people celebrating with Jenny Granholm as my friends put for sale signs in their yards and moved south.

It is brain dead union / global warming / fairness thinking like that which is killing this state and this country.

I CELEBRATE when new businesses want to come to my community.  French Fry CELEBRATES when the government chases those greedy rich b&^%&*ds out.

His solution?  Worship Obama, and hope Obama can tax all those rich bums who clearly took advantage of him somehow so his disability / welfare / free health care will be funded.

My solution?  Go where I can WORK.

[Frenchfry]

There you have it guests!

Proof that your die hard liberal cares more about shutting down evil, polluting, corporations then YOU having a job in your community.  If you want a job just get the heck out of French Fry's state.  French Fry must have been one of the people celebrating with Jenny Granholm as my friends put for sale signs in their yards and moved south.

It is brain dead union / global warming / fairness thinking like that which is killing this state and this country.

I CELEBRATE when new businesses want to come to my community.  French Fry CELEBRATES when the government chases those greedy rich b&^%&*ds out.

His solution?  Worship Obama, and hope Obama can tax all those rich bums who clearly took advantage of him somehow so his disability / welfare / free health care will be funded.

My solution?  Go where I can WORK.

Get off your soapbox you attention seeking wh*re.
Enough of your fabricated lies and personal attacks!

[Monroe Native]

Get off your soapbox you attention seeking wh*re.
Enough of your fabricated lies and personal attacks!

Personal attacks.......  yep, you just did one there!

[Frenchfry]

Personal attacks.......  yep, you just did one there!

At least I didn't lie.
You on the other hand have lied every chance you get.
And then you try to bully with personal attacks whenever someone tells the truth.