China promotes the implementation of ultra-low emissions in the steel industry
The Ministry of Ecology and Environment and five other ministries recently jointly issued the "Opinions on Promoting the Implementation of Ultra low Emissions in the Steel Industry". The suggestion is to promote the ultra-low emission transformation of existing steel enterprises, and by the end of 2020, significant progress will be made in the ultra-low emission transformation of key regional steel enterprises, striving to complete the transformation of about 60% of production capacity; By the end of 2025, the ultra-low emission transformation of key regional steel enterprises will be basically completed, and the country strives to complete the transformation of over 80% of production capacity.
The steel industry has become the largest source of pollutant emissions in the industrial sector
He Kebin, an academician of the CAE Member and dean of the School of Environment of Tsinghua University, said that China is the world's largest steel producer, with crude steel output accounting for about half of the world's total output. The total output of the steel industry is enormous, with varying levels of emissions, and the industry's total emissions remain high. According to estimates, in 2017, the emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter in the steel industry accounted for about 7%, 10%, and 20% of the total national emissions, respectively. Since the implementation of ultra-low emissions in coal-fired power plants, the emissions of pollutants in the thermal power industry have significantly decreased. In 2017, the emissions of major pollutants in the steel industry surpassed those in the power industry, becoming the largest source of pollutant emissions in the industrial sector.
At the same time, the steel industry is one of the largest industries in terms of cargo transportation volume. The freight volume of China's steel industry is over 4 billion tons, accounting for about 1/10 of the country's total freight volume, and mainly relies on road transportation. The emissions of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter during transportation are prominent, accounting for more than 20% of the emissions of steel enterprises themselves.
Experts say that the concentration of China's steel industry layout is also an important factor affecting regional air pollution. The steel production capacity of key areas for air pollution prevention and control, such as the Beijing Tianjin Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta region, and the Fenwei Plain, accounts for 55% of the total national production capacity, and their average PM2.5 concentration is about 38% higher than the national average concentration.
Li Xinchuang, President of the Metallurgical Industry Planning and Research Institute, introduced that since the 11th Five Year Plan, the steel industry has comprehensively carried out pollution control and transformation work. The emissions of organized particulate matter and sulfur dioxide per ton of steel have decreased by more than 60% and 70% respectively. However, problems such as the lack of measures for nitrogen oxides, low treatment level, serious unorganized emissions, and large total emissions in key areas have not been fundamentally solved, which seriously restricts the healthy development of China's steel industry.
The steel industry still has a lot of room for emission reduction, "said He Kebin. Compared with developed countries such as Japan, Germany, and South Korea, there is still a significant gap in pollution control and environmental management levels in China's steel industry, especially in the unorganized emissions that account for more than 50% of particulate matter emissions. The unorganized emissions of particulate matter per ton of steel are more than twice as high as those in developed countries. China urgently needs to benchmark against international advanced levels and achieve significant reductions in emissions from the steel industry.
Implement full process and full process environmental management
According to this opinion, ultra-low emissions in steel enterprises refer to the upgrading and transformation of all production processes, with organized and unorganized emissions of air pollutants, as well as transportation processes that meet the following requirements:
烧结机机头、球团焙烧烟气颗粒物、二氧化硫、氮氧化物排放浓度小时均值分别不高于10、35、50毫克/立方米，其他主要污染源原则上分别不高于10、50、200毫克/立方米；
物料储存、输送及生产工艺过程采取密闭、封闭等有效措施，实现无组织排放有效管控；
大宗物料和产品采用铁路、水路、管道等清洁方式运输，清洁运输比例不低于80%。
李新创表示，钢铁工业是流程工业，生产工艺环节众多，因此钢铁行业超低排放与燃煤电厂超低排放的区别就是必须钢铁生产全流程所有生产环节全方位满足超低排放的要求。钢铁企业实施超低排放改造，既要实施有组织排放改造，更要注重无组织排放治理和运输方式的清洁化改造。
超低排放改造将显著改善空气质量
意见提出，对完成超低排放改造的企业，加大税收、资金、价格、金融、环保等政策支持力度，强化企业主体责任，严格评价管理，强化监督执法。
专家指出，这份意见体现了管理的差异性，在重污染天气应对期间，对未完成超低排放改造企业实行严格管理；强调依法推进，明确达标排放是法定责任，超低排放是鼓励导向，对完成超低排放改造企业给予相应政策支持；强调可操作性，要求钢铁企业制定“一厂一策”治理方案，严把工程质量，确保长期连续稳定运行。
贺克斌说，钢铁行业实施超低排放将稳步改变我国钢铁行业发展水平参差不齐的现状，降低钢铁行业大气污染物排放量，显著改善环境空气质量。
他说，据初步测算，到2025年，任务全面完成后，将带动钢铁行业二氧化硫、氮氧化物、颗粒物排放量分别削减61%、59%和81%。由于钢铁行业在重点区域相对更为集中，超低排放改造将在重点区域产生更大的环境效益。重点区域完成钢铁行业超低排放改造任务后，如京津冀及周边地区二氧化硫、氮氧化物、颗粒物排放总量将在目前的基础上分别削减14%。
Information source: China Government website
