Guangdong Papermaking Alliance Sets Stricter Water Intake Quotas for Packaging Supply Chains

Water pollution from papermaking has long been a pressing challenge for China’s environmental protection efforts. Recently, Dongguan in Guangdong held a press conference centered on the Alliance Standard on Water Intake Quotas for the Papermaking Industry, aiming to steer the sector toward sustainable development.

On the 10th, Zhongtang Town in Dongguan, Guangdong hosted the press conference for the Alliance Standard on Water Intake Quotas for the Papermaking Industry. Attendees included officials from Dongguan City, the Economic and Information Bureau, the Water Affairs Bureau and the Zhongtang Town government, along with key municipal energy-saving and consumption-reduction enterprises and representatives from Zhongtang’s papermaking industry. The alliance standard tackled questions such as how many tonnes of water are used to produce one tonne of paper and how much water use complies with national standards. Reporters learned at the event that Zhongtang is strongly advancing energy-saving, environmentally friendly and circular development, enforcing strict papermaking water rules; water use in the town’s papermaking sector is below the national standard.

Accelerating Sustainable Development in Papermaking

Papermaking has traditionally been seen as a high-water-use, heavily polluting industry. In the past, outdated technology and equipment led mills to consume large volumes of water and discharge substantial wastewater, placing pressure on land, air and other environmental resources. Ten years ago, producing one tonne of paper in Zhongtang could require as much as 80 to 90 tonnes of water. Local paper enterprises came to realize that energy-saving and environmental protection were essential for sustainable growth.

Yuan Dongping, Secretary of the Zhongtang Town Party Committee, said the town is home to 33 papermaking enterprises, with its largest paper products plant reaching an annual output of 700,000 tonnes. In 2009, Zhongtang’s machine-made paper output hit 5.14 million tonnes. More than 1,000 businesses and individuals trade in waste paper and other papermaking raw materials, creating an integrated raw material supply-production-sales service system.

Yuan noted that after years of development, Zhongtang’s paper products enterprises have built an industrial chain led by cartons and bags, supported by downstream processing such as corrugated board, cartons and paper bags, as well as waste paper recycling trade, logistics, hotels and other services. He said the town’s current priority is to further upgrade papermaking technology and pursue sustainable development.

Water Recycling in Papermaking Can Improve the Environment

An expert from the Zhongtang Papermaking Industry Association said the national papermaking water intake standard is 25 tonnes, while the provincial environmental protection bureau standard is 17.5 tonnes. In other words, making one tonne of paper carries a national water benchmark of 25 tonnes and a provincial benchmark of 17.5 tonnes. Zhongtang has set an alliance quota standard for papermaking water that is lower than both the national and provincial levels.

According to the introduction, actual production controls water use even lower, generally at 16.9 tonnes. Strictly speaking, Zhongtang’s standard sits far below the provincial and national thresholds. The town relies on equipment upgrades, technical transformation and 24-hour dedicated monitoring in production workshops to meet its emission reduction targets.

The expert explained that recycling papermaking water can significantly cut pollutant emissions from existing mills in the base and improve regional environmental quality. National and provincial requirements for intermediate water reuse in papermaking are above 40%, while Zhongtang Town has reached above 80%.

Paper Mills Below 50,000 Tonnes Annual Output to Close

Yuan said Zhongtang will work to build a papermaking industry with strengths in positioning, planning, concepts, management, business formats, brand and ecology, further boosting the competitiveness and influence of Zhongtang’s paper sector. Phasing out high-energy-consuming mills can reduce water discharge and lower production costs, he added. For mills that do not meet environmental protection and water use requirements, he urged them to create the conditions needed to comply. He stressed that small paper mills with annual output below 50,000 tonnes and serious pollution will all be closed, with integration and upgrading to follow; technological progress will be used to raise output and improve the depth of wastewater treatment and the reuse rate of intermediate water in papermaking.

Source: China Packaging Network (pack.cn); original link: http://news.pack.cn/show-361845.html