In early Dec. 2015, Sichuan Province issued a local action plan based on the Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Water Pollution, adding the phosphorus chemical industry into the ten industries that need to be overhauled. CCM believes that this will prevent and control water pollution more effectively and facilitate the elimination of backwards production capacities in the phosphorus chemical industry in Sichuan Province.
On 7 Dec., 2015, Sichuan Province issued a local action plan based on the Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Water Pollution. Accordingly:
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From 2016, all first-level cities (or prefectures) must measure and publish the safety status of drinking water to the public in each quarter;
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From 2018, all cities (including prefecture-level cities, county-level cities and municipalities) must measure and publish the safety status of drinking water to the public;
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By 2020, initial results should be achieved in aquatic environment treatment;
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By 2030, aquatic environment quality should be improved and aquatic ecosystem functions should be recovering;
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By 2050, there should be an overall improvement to the ecological environment, and the ecosystem should achieve a virtuous cycle.
It is worth noting that Sichuan Province's local action plan adds the phosphorus chemical industry into the ten industries (which include papermaking, coking and nitrogen fertilizer industries) that need to be overhauled in light of the local conditions. According to CCM research, the local action plan prevents and controls phosphorus pollution mainly through installing automatic on-line phosphorus monitoring devices in phosphorus chemical companies.
Meanwhile, according to the local action plan, Sichuan Province will carry out the "penalty card' system to regulate pollution discharges. Specifically, "yellow cards' will be given to companies for warning if they have excess emissions, and these companies are required to restrict their production scales or suspend production to reduce their emissions. Companies that cannot meet requirements after undertaking emission reduction measures, and companies that commit serious cases will be given "red cards' and they will be fined and forced to shut down.
CCM believes that the issue of the local water pollution controlling plan in Sichuan Province will help to prevent and control water pollution more effectively. It will also facilitate the elimination of backwards production capacities in the phosphorus chemical industry in Sichuan Province.
1. To prevent and control water pollution more effectively
Total phosphorus has become the major source of pollution to the aquatic environment in Sichuan Province. This is mainly because small phosphorus chemical companies cannot deal with wastewater effectively due to the low-level equipment and backwards facilities. Some large companies have failed to upgrade their clean production techniques. There are also companies that blatantly disregard the environmental protection laws and directly discharge wastewater into rivers.
Relevant data shows that the aquatic environment quality is getting worse in Sichuan Province. According to monitoring data, the standard-reaching rate of the river mainstreams of the five major valleys dropped by 17 percentage points year-on-year, and the standard-reaching rate of river mainstreams and tributaries fell by 5.7 percentage points year-on-year in 2014. The phosphorus chemical industry is a major contributor to the pollution.
Total phosphorus pollution is the primary target of water pollution control in Sichuan Province. According to the local action plan, all phosphorus chemical companies will be required to install an automatic on-line monitor. Local environmental departments can monitor the phosphorus content in wastewater discharged by companies at any time and can force companies that fail to meet emission standards to make improvement or shut down.
2. To facilitate the elimination of backwards production capacities and to promote industry adjustment
Sichuan Province is blessed with abundant phosphorus ore resources, and the recoverable deposits of phosphorus ore reaches 860 million tonnes.
Large phosphorus chemical companies such as Sichuan Lomon Phosphorous Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. and Sichuan Shengfeng Phosphorus Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. co-exist with many small sized companies in Sichuan Province. Most of these small companies have backwards production techniques. This aggravates the burden of environmental protection and negatively affects the comprehensive utilization rate of phosphorus ore resources.
According to the local action plan, small phosphorus chemical companies with backwards capacities that cannot meet emission standards will be forced to restrict or cease production. This will boost the elimination of backwards capacities and promote the healthy development of the phosphorus chemical industry. According to CCM research, 28 phosphorus chemical companies were eliminated in 2014 in Sichuan Province.
CCM believes that this reflects the government's aim to overhaul the phosphorus chemical industry by eliminating polluting companies and to create a regulatory environment where companies that have strengths in their resources, funds, production scale, production techniques and environmental protection can prosper.
If you would like to know more about the phosphorus industry, you could have a look at our product: Phosphorus Industry China Monthly Report.
About CCM:
CCM is the leading market intelligence provider for China's agriculture, chemicals, food & ingredients and life science markets. Founded in 2001, CCM offers a range of data and content solutions, from price and trade data to industry newsletters and customized market research reports. Our clients include Monsanto, DuPont, Shell, Bayer, and Syngenta. CCM is a brand of Kcomber Inc.
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Tag: phosphorus