Chinese steel mills rush to install equipment to meet emission target

Steel mills in Tangshan, China’s top steelmaking city, are rushing to install equipment to meet new ‘ultra-low’ emissions targets by an October 31 deadline, as the measures to battle pollution threaten more upheaval in the debt-laden sector. Only a handful of mills have installed the technology that removes sulfur, nitrogen and dust and costs up to CNY 200 million (USD 29 million), according to analysts who have tracked the more than 150 sintering plants in the city affected by the new rules, which were only announced in July. An environmental manager at Hebei Donghai Special Steel Co, a privately owned mill with annual capacity of 10 million tonnes said that “Everyone is trying to speed up the (upgrade) project … Still, time is very tight.”

The environment ministry said in February it would enforce tough new emissions on steel mills, but did not give details. In July, the Tangshan city government ordered companies in the steel, coke and coal-fired power sectors to comply with the new standards and gave mills until end-October to meet the targets.

This is the second year that China will force steel mills, aluminum smelters and other heavy industry in the smoggiest northern regions to cut output during winter to counter a rise in emissions from the country’s coal-fired power stations due to increased demand for heating.
Source : REUTERS
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