Inspection finds heating plant emissions violations
Several State-owned coal-burning companies that discharged an excessive amount of pollutants are being blamed for the heavy smog that shrouded Northeast China for over a week, according to a national environmental watchdog.
An inspection team sent by the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) to the three northeastern provinces of Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning from Thursday to Saturday found that the emissions of local coal-burning companies surpassed standards, while the pollution treatment facilities of those companies also failed to operate properly, said Zou Shoumin, head of the Environmental Inspection Bureau under the MEP, according to a press release issued by the ministry.
Eight boilers operated by Heilongjiang Heihua Group Co Ltd in Qiqihar, Heilongjiang Province; a thermal power plant; and a power plant operated by Huadian Energy Co Ltd based in Fulaerji, also in Heilongjiang Province, were found to have released excessive emissions, said the ministry.
Furthermore, Heilongjiang Heihua Group had no dust removal devices for its coke ovens and piled up raw coal in the open air.
Beitai Iron and Steel Group in Benxi, Liaoning Province, failed to cut its production by 30 percent as mandated by the emergency response ordered by environmental protection authorities, the MEP said.
Another prominent problem lies in inadequate environmental protection facilities at coal-fueled boilers that provide heat to area homes and businesses, Zou said.
According to MEP, the sulfur dioxide, nitric oxide and smoke emitted by boilers at one Harbin heating company have exceeded standards since October, and the company has done nothing to rectify this.
Some heating companies in Jilin and Liaoning provinces also failed to conduct environmental protection measures to eliminate emissions from the boilers, MEP said.
"The coal-burning in some parts of North China, including Shanxi and the three northeastern provinces, contributed to about one-third of the total concentration of PM2.5 - airborne particles measuring less than 2.5 microns in diameter - and the figure is likely to be higher in winter," Zhang Yuanxun, a professor of environmental sciences at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday.
Zou also pointed out that some construction sites in the three northeastern provinces failed to carry out dust-prevention measures.
The MEP inspection team has ordered local environmental watchdogs to supervise the overhaul of those companies mentioned in their report.
Individual households burning low-quality coal for heating is another major reason for heavy pollution in winter, Zhang said.
"The amount of pollutants discharged from low-quality coal can be 1,000 times higher than the pollutants discharged from burning clean, treated coal," Zhang said.
