China's BlueStar Group announced on Monday that it has entirely
eliminated toxic residues from chromium chemical production in a
pioneering plant in central China.
With the Chinese Academy of Science, the company had launched
the world's first pollution-free 10,000-ton chromium chemical
project in Henan Province, said a company statement.
The Chromium Oxide Green clean production project was running
steadily with mass production of qualified chromium oxide green,
desulfurizing products and potassium chromate as semi-finished
products.
The project had zero discharges of chromium residue and chromium
dust.
The treatment of residues has been a problem for chromium
chemicals worldwide, with even the most advanced manufacturing
techniques in developed nations unable to eradicate pollution
completely.
In China, the metal chromium conversion rate is only 75 percent
and overall source utilization rate is less than 20 percent.
Statistics from China's chromium chemicals industry show the
production of every ton of chromium chemicals results in the
discharge of 2.5 tons of highly toxic residues, causing serious
pollution to water, soil and air.
The chromium industrial recovery rate of BlueStar's new
technology was more than 98 percent, up 20 percent from the
traditional techniques, and was 8 to 9 percent higher than the
world's most advanced methods.
Compared with traditional techniques, BlueStar's new project
consumed 20 percent less power, and produced 80 percent less
chromium residue, said the statement.
The residue could be completely used in producing ferrous
desulfurizing and other high value-added products. The overall
utilization ratio of resources was more than 98 percent.
Company experts said the project not only turned a
high-pollution industry into a clean industry, but also realized
outstanding economic profits and investment returns.
A spokesperson of BlueStar said the company's proposal for a
100,000-ton chromium chemical clean production project had been
approved by the National Development and Reform Commission.
Chromium chemicals are used in light industry, leather tanning,
pigment, and electroplating industries, involving about 15 percent
of commercial goods. China is major producer with an annual output
capacity of 318,000 tons.
(Xinhua News Agency September 25, 2007)
