Hebei's Province's Heavy Industry Now Too Polluting For China; Coming Soon To Africa, S. America
It's official - we just ran out of "Somewhere Else"
China's largest overseas iron and steel project was officially launched this September, when China's biggest steel maker, Hebei Iron & Steel Group (HBIS), and South Africa's Industrial Development Corporation signed a memorandum of understanding in Beijing. The project, with HBIS's expertise and ability to operate steel-making facilities, says it will be located in South Africa's Limpopo province and supply steel at competitive prices in South Africa's downstream steel processing industry, currently constrained by uncompetitive steel prices and a lack of certain steel products. By 2017, the iron and steel facility in South Africa is expected to churn out 3 million tons in production each year. Two years later, the production capacity will grow to 5 million tons.
EDIT
The project is just the latest indication of the northern province of Hebei's ambitious plans to relocate steel, cement and glass factories to countries in Africa, South America, East Europe and the rest of Asia, pressured by overcapacity in the domestic market and growing concerns over industrial pollution. According to a Hebei Province government notice issued last month, by 2017, it plans to move capacity for 5.2 million tons of steel, 5 million tons of cement and 3 million units of glass abroad. The targets for 2023 is more ambitious, with capacity for 20 million tons of steel, 30 million tons of cement and 10 million units of glass waiting to be relocated abroad.
Many projects are already underway. In the following two years, Hebei's State-run companies will help set up a 600,000 ton steel project in Thailand, a 350,000 ton capacity steel facility in Indonesia and a 1.5 million ton iron powder factory in Chile. On the cement front, two one-million ton capacity projects, one in South Africa and one in Myanmar, will be established with investments from the Tangshan-based Jidong Development Group and its local partners.
EDIT
But they are also regarded as major sources of pollution in China's highest emitting province. According to Hebei's Department of Environmental Protection, steel, electricity, cement and glass industries account for 65 percent of the province's sulfur dioxide emissions and 61 percent of its smoke and dust emissions. Last September, China's environmental department, along with five other national authorities, issued detailed rules on fighting pollution. Hebei, home to the most polluted cities in China, was its main target. According to the rules, Hebei should cut 60 million tons' production of steel, 61 million tons' production of cement, 40 million tons' coal and 36 million weight cases of glass by 2017. The amount is about a third of Hebei's annual production. In an interview with China Central Television, Zhang Qingwei, governor of Hebei Province, said, "If an extra ton of steel is produced, local officials will have to take responsibility and be sacked."
EDIT
http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/898086.shtml
