China: Tangshan Tightens Steel Production Curbs to Fight Pollution

China’s top steel making city - Tangshan has issued a notice to reinitiate the grade II emergency response to heavy polluting weather, as the city declared a level 2 pollution emergency. The government imposed output restrictions on the steel production firms and ordered them to indefinitely suspend iron ore sintering and partially reduce steel output as of 13 Dec’19.

Curbs on sintering & steel units - For mills undertaking heating task on the basis of emission reduction meant for orange grade pre-caution, an addition of 20% production limit will be added on sintering machines, pelletising equipments and lime kilns.

--Those other than undertaking heating tasks if they are of class B, sintering machines, pelletising equipment and lime kilns should stop operation.

--For those belonging to class C, sintering machine, pelletising equipments and lime kiln should stop operation. And BF should limit at least by 50%.

--If the pre-caution response time exceeds 120 hrs. Sintering machines and pelleting equipment should limit capacity by more than 50% (based on production lines)

Coking industry - For those classified as B&C levels, coking time will be extended to more than 36hrs and wet quenching operation should be stopped.

Other industries should strictly comply with measures as called for by “emission reduction measures in orange pre-caution” of “checklist of industrial source of pollution in emergency response during heavy polluting days”

Besides, there are also restrictive measures laid on mobile polluting sources, dust generating sources and ramped up surveillance amongst people in concern.

source: SteelMint