Shanghai solid waste plant to help fuel cement production

A new solid waste treatment facility to be built in Shanghai's Pudong New Area will convert unwanted garbage into raw materials and fuel for the cement industry, an official said yesterday.

The plant, which will be located in the Bailonggang area, will have two production lines and is expected to handle more than 3 million tons of waste per year, said Ma Yong, the official in charge of the project.

The various waste materials will be used to produce admixtures and raw materials for the cement industry, as well as alternative fuels, he said.

Besides the processing plant, the site will feature a cement kiln and production line with the capacity to produce 4,000 tons of clinker a day and 2.7 million tons of cement a year.

To help reduce energy consumption, the thermal power produced during the incineration of the solid waste will be used to fuel the cement kiln, Ma said.

Construction of the new facility, which is expected to cost about 2 billion yuan (US$320 million), is scheduled to get under way later this year.