Ponce Cement Factory and CEMEX Industrial Pollution

Ponce Cement Inc. was founded in 1941 by Antonio Ferré Bacallao, a Puerto Rican industrialist of Cuban origin, at Barrio Magüeyes in Ponce. The site was chosen because Ponce's soil is rich in the limestone needed for cement production. The factory became a cornerstone of Puerto Rico's industrialization and the Ferré family became one of the island's most powerful dynasties—Grupo Ferré Rangel owns El Nuevo Día, Puerto Rico's largest newspaper.

In 2002, CEMEX, the Mexican multinational and world's largest building materials supplier, acquired Ponce Cement. CEMEX began burning waste tires for fuel to reduce costs, sparking community opposition. Residents reported gray cement kiln dust visible inside their homes, coating surfaces and accumulating on delivery trucks.

The CEMEX kiln system operated for over 20 years as a major source of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, which contribute to ground-level ozone and fine particle pollution linked to respiratory problems, heart disease, and smog. EPA investigations found that CEMEX had made modifications to the facility without obtaining the proper permits required under the Clean Air Act.

The EPA settlement required CEMEX to spend $1.7 million on pollution controls to reduce NOx emissions by approximately 1,423 tons per year, and pay $160,000 in penalties. In 2016, CEMEX paid nearly $300,000 in additional penalties for mine violations.

The story of Ponce Cement illustrates a recurring pattern in Puerto Rico's colonial economy: local industry built by island entrepreneurs is acquired by multinational capital, which then operates with less accountability to the surrounding community.