Xingtai - China's Most Polluted City

References

• China Environmental Governance Programme. (2014, April 24). Environmental Protection Law of the People's Republic of China. Retrieved November 8, 2014, from https://www.chinadialogue.net/Environmental-Protection-Law-2014-eversion.pdf

• Coal-Fired Power Plants: Understanding the Health Costs of a Dirty Energy Source. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2014, from http://www.psr.org/assets/pdfs/coal-fired-power-plants.pdf

• Geng, O., & Lin, L. (2014, September 16). Meet the Biggest Polluter in China's Most Polluted City. Retrieved November 10, 2014, from http://online.wsj.com/articles/economics-versus-pollution-in-chinas-dirtiest-city-1410901992

• Jones, C., & Moretti, A. (2012, October 3). Advanced Emissions Control Technologies for Coal-Fired Power Plants. Retrieved November 10, 2014, from http://www.babcock.com/library/documents/br-1886.pdf

• Woodford, C. (2014, June 3). Electrostatic smoke precipitators. Retrieved November 10, 2014, from http://www.explainthatstuff.com/electrostaticsmokeprecipitators.html

• Wang, L., Yang, J., Zhang, P., & Zhao, X. (2013). A Review of Air Pollution and Control in Hebei Province, China. Retrieved November 10, 2014, from http://www.scirp.org/journal/ojap/

Conclusion

• Major changes to the Environmental Protection Law
• Increased penalties for heavy polluters
• Delegated responsibility of law enforcement to the local government
• Disclosure of environmental information to the public
• Define areas that require extra protection

• Preliminary control have been implemented
• Residential, Construction, Transportation and Agricultural industry
• Ineffective due to economic, political and social reasons

• Suggested pollution control systems:
• ESP - for PM
• SCR - for NOx
• FGD - for SOx

Objectives

Introduction

• Study on the air quality of Xingtai
• Focus on the emissions from coal-fired power plants
• Investigate existing pollution control policies and regulations
• Propose control technologies and control methods to reduce emissions

Southern Hebei Province

7.6 million people

Post combustion NOx control: SCR system

(Selective Catalytic Reduction)

• How does it work?

• 70-90% removal efficiency

Recommended Pollution System for Coal-Fired Plants

Particulate control: ESP (Electrostatic preticipator)

• How does it work?

• Exceeds 99.9% collection efficiency

• high reliability, resistance to moisture, temperature upsets, low maintenance

Health Effects

Why coal-fired plants?

PM: Smog& haze, causes respiratory problems, impaired plant growth

NOx: Produce ground level

ozone, acid rain, PM

SOx: Eye, nose and throat irritant, acid rain

• Replacement of coal fired plants to natural gas and electrical heating plants are costly

• China = 46.3% of coal production, 3.3% of natural gas production

SOx control: FGD

(Flue Gas Desulfurization)

• Average annual PM2.5 density was 155 μg/m3 as opposed to the national limit set at 35 μg/m3 (more than four times)

• Fresno, California the US city with the worst air pollution (18 μg/m3)

• Strong coal industry
• 20 million tonnes produced each year

• Relies heavily on coal-fired power plants for electricity generation

• Jizhong Energy Resources, state-owned coal mining company
• Operate six mines
• 5 facilities are on nations top polluters
• Sulfur dioxide at plants are 30 times higher than the national standards

• How does it work?

• 96% removal efficiency

Problems

Xingtai - China's Most Polluted City

Existing Pollution Control

Inaccurate

• Control measures target specific areas close to monitoring stations

Ineffective

• Bribery in local environmental protection departments
• Negligence, economic growth is more important

Inconsistent

• Affected by political plans and national events

China’s Environmental Protection Laws

• PM is major air pollutant, SOx and NOx are unnegligible as well. O3 pollution in larger cities is significant.
• coal-fired pollution to mix-sourced pollution.
• The entire province had been implementing air pollution control since 1998.

Examples

• Enforced by the Ministry of Environmental Protection

• First enacted in 1989

• Strict regulations implemented by central government

Kelvin Mok, Jennifer Wong, Shuyi Lu, Lydia Ip

Political plan : SO2 and fly ash increased from 2001 to 2006, and decreased after 2006 due to strict implementation of the national 11th Five Year Plan

National event : 2008 Beijing Olympic Game, 2014 APEC Summit. Decrease traffic by 35%, no sediment trucks within 100 km of Beijing, reduction of emission from nearby factories

CO & Fume

NOx

• Coal-fire -> Natural gas or electrical
• Installation of fume purifier

• Eliminate vehicles not meeting the emission standards from road

SOx

Existing and Recently Changed Environmental Regulations in China

Why is it not working?

PM

• Closing and relocation of rubber factories and construction materials manufacturers
• Continuous supervising and monitoring of the closed and relocated factories and manufacturers

• Lack of experience

• Ineffective monitoring and enforcement

• Actual monitoring and enforcement are neglected by local governments

• Implement wind fencing at construction site, proper maintenance of unpaved roads, and truck washing
• Demolition site management
• Prohibit uncovered sediment transport vehicles and waste trucks
• Prohibit fireworks within city, burning of crop waste in rural area

Amendments to the Environmental

Protection Law

Major changes made on April 2014:

• Increasing penalties on heavy polluters
• Maintaining a balance progress with environmental protection
• Require to disclose environmental information to public
• Defines area that require extra protection (e.g. Xingtai)

Addition Laws

Article 41

Requirement/ specification on the installation of pollution prevention and control facilities

Article 42

Regulation on operating of pollution prevention and control facilities