Graphite, magnesium compounds: New winter environmental protection controls in China
roskill.com
Posted 22nd October 2020 in ?Industry news.
By Kerry Satterthwaite
China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection has just issued a draft document for comments on air pollution controls during the autumn and winter months of 2020 and 2021 in Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei and nearby provinces. Controls are expected on the heavy air pollution that is typical while coal-powered heating is in use over the winter.
According to the draft document, steel output capacity in provinces such as Hebei will be kept within the upper limit of 200Mt which was set in the current Five-Year Plan. This could mean that approximately 60% of steel mills in the province might be affected. Measures such as operational shutdowns and output reductions have been discussed. Upgrades to the equipment in refractory units will be required to reduce air pollution and to enhance the monitoring of emissions.
There could even be interruptions following the issue of emergency response protocols.
Roskill view
Environmental regulations will be even stricter in China this winter because 2020-21 is the final year for China’s Blue Sky Protection Campaign, which started in July 2018. This is a three-year plan intended to curb environmental pollution and to improve air quality in China.
Back in April 2017, China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) announced the largest national-level inspection on record. More than 5,000 environmental inspectors were sent to Beijing, Tianjin, and 26 smaller cities in the Jingjinji region – a centre for mineral processors focussed on export trade – to check on implementation of pollution control targets and emission standards. Supply of Chinese industrial minerals including magnesia, fluorspar, graphite and others was disrupted as a result of the inspections.
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Roskill’s NEW Magnesium Compounds: Outlook to 2030, 14th Edition report will be published soon and will include analysis of recent steel and refractory industry trends on supply, demand, trade and prices, as well as providing forecasts to 2030 and profiles of the main producers. Click here to download the brochure and sample pages for the report, or to access further information.
Contact the author This article was written by Kerry Satterthwaite. Please get in touch below if you wish to discuss further:
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