The waste from the upstream is transformed into usable raw materials for the factories in the downstream through recycling process; gradient utilization technology is used to save water and electricity resources. As the first provincial-level demonstration park for the national circular economy transformation pilot program, a series of actions are taken to upgrade technologies in Xiaoting District. The multidimensional recycling system is formed basically including "small-scale recycling" in enterprises, "middle-scale recycling" in the industrial park, and "large-scale cycle" in Xiaoting area. At present, 18 out of 28 planned projects have been launched, and the accumulating amount of investment is over 1.5 billion yuan. Xiaoting makes a significant attempt on its way to the green, low-carbon, circular economy development in a large scale and with high speed.
Environmental indicators are monitored in an-around way
Currently, the Xiaoting statistic information platform of circular economy has been established, which lays the foundation for pollution control and supervision. This platform has two main functions: Pided platen display, which shows the purpose, methods and achievements of recycling transformation, and applied subsystem, which shows the indexes of the key enterprises\' resources and waste transaction obtained by real-time monitoring. The worker in this platform said: "When we find that any enterprise exceeds the specified amount of emissions of pollution by locating it through GPS, we will immediately send a text message to the person in charge." In addition to collect the data for key projects, the platform can further analyze the content of recycling transformation quantitatively and offer real-time and scientific guidance, supervision, analysis and evaluation of the recycling transformation process.
It\'s reported that software development has been completed and will be put into use after the collection of statistics in the second half of this year.
Closed-loop production helps turn waste into useful resources
The saying of "There is no absolute waste, only resources put in wrong places" is proved by Xingfa Chemical Group: the company produces calcium hypochlorite and chlorinated rubber by adopting the chlorine, which is the by-product of caustic soda; it also produces organosilicon monomer by adopting the chloromethane, which is the byproduct of glyphosate, and then produces silicone downstream products with high added value such as silicone rubber and silicone oil by the use of organosilicon monomer. The Xingfa Chemeical Group transforms waste into products, resources and material by industry chains of phosphorus chemical industry, salt chemical industry and silicon industry.
Chen Xiaoqing, assistant to the general manager, says that the chloromethane is the glyphosate\'s by-product. In the past this by-product must be delivered to the coast area by highway and sometimes you even have to give money to others helping deal with it. But now it has become the raw material of silicone through technological innovation.
Now, the solid waste utilization ratio in Xingfa Group of Yichang Fine Chemicals Industrial Park reaches 100%; the engine exhaust utilization ratio overpasses 95%; the reusing industrial effluent ratio reaches 95% and waste heat utilization ratio reaches 95%.
Recycling helps realize zero emission
“Recycling can save resources and reduce energy consumption as well. Furthermore, it is for the purpose of protecting environmental.” Zhang Peng, deputy general manager in China South Glass (CSG) Polysilicon Company, said. The closed-loop circulation method used in producing polysilicon has made zero emission possible.
Why do we need to realize zero emission? How can we make it possible? Zhang explained that because of the peculiarities of polysilicon production, we must use highly-pure silicon tetrachloride to guarantee the quality of products and the equipment’s continuous work. Impure silicon tetrachloride brought about in the process will produce waste gas HCl and silica dust, which will contaminate the environment after their release into the atmosphere, if emission and neutralization methods are adopted. The 3,400-ton white carbons in gaseous phase program can not only resolve the environmental problems, but also manufacture high added value products, which brought an annual revenue of 68 million yuan and an annual profit of 10 million yuan. The white carbon, which has the reinforcement and thickening functions, is used widely in many fields such as silicon rubber, electric cable materials, oil paintings, toothpastes and cosmetic products. Being environment-friendly, the program has also helped many polysilicon enterprises both in Hubei and out of Hubei find effective ways to deal with the by-product silicon tetrachloride.
Energy gradient utilization helps realize regional “large-scale recycling”
If we say that the recycling transformation in the enterprises such as Xingfa and CSG realized “small-scale recycling” within themselves and “medium-scale recycling” in the industrial park, China Resources Power (CRP) Company’s upgrade is “large-scale recycling”.
According to Huang Wenxuan, who is in charge of CRP, the newly-started thermoelectric program, which promotes the central heating and graded heating in the park, has set a model in promoting regional energy gradient utilization and energy conservation. Moreover, 20,000 tons of disposed water in sewage treatment plant is transferred to the ecological wetland, and then it is to be treated and reused by being sent to CRP’s intermediate water. With its waste water transferred to the sewage treatment plant, a water recycling chain is formed. CRP is able to reduce 24.5% industrial water under this program.
In addition, new energy-saving technologies, new techniques, new materials and new equipments are strongly promoted in the park. Baota Paper-Making Company, Yihua Group and New Yangfeng Fertilizer Company have successively made achievements in energy saving by reusing the waste heat and waste pressure and upgrading water-saving technology.
Green and low-carbon development should be the ultimate goal pursued by Xiaoting District as a national-level model for circular economy transformation. Xiaoting Park is marching forward with big strides in the recycling road in accordance with these requirements of “appropriate space layout, optimized industrial structure, circular industrial links, efficient resources utilization, centralized pollution treatment, green infrastructural facilities, and standard operation management.” (Reporter: Chen Lu; correspondent: Huang Yi)