As China's economic lifeline, the iron and steel industry used to be a black smoke maker and blue-sky killer in the eyes of many people.

In 2007, SO2 emissions by China's large and medium-sized steel and iron enterprises were estimated at 756,368 tons, down 0.51 percent year-on-year. And the discharge of industrial coal ash was 382,275 tons with a 2.79 percent decline. Otherwise, soot discharges increased 3.02 percent, totaling 156,648 tons.

The Long March of environmental protection and energy efficiency for China's steel and iron enterprises is still challenging, though many in the iron and steel industry have launched a green revolution in order to improve their old image.

Wuhan Iron and Steel (Group) Corp (WISCO) is one such environmental protection warrior.

As China's third largest steel and iron manufacturer, WISCO used to be a major polluter in Wuhan, capital of Hubei province. Many residents complained and criticized the firm, joking that sparrows would turn black after flying over WISCO's mills.

It has been difficult for WISCO, an old enterprise which was established in 1958, to rid itself of its outdated, polluting and energy consuming manufacturing model, admits Deng Qilin, president of WISCO.

"But by adopting new technologies and reforming the opinions of managers and staff, we continue to drive sustainable growth and develop the new growth model, which is focused on energy conservation and environment protection," he says.

Since 2001, the company has invested more than 3.25 billion yuan in improving the area's water and air quality and the treatment of solid wastes.

In the past, filthy water used by WISCO was poured into Beihu Lake before being discharged into the Yangtze River. This process formed a 1.5 to 2 meter layer of wastes and heavy metals at the bottom of the lake.

An old resident living near Beihu Lake, surnamed Meng, says he felt sad when the beautiful scenery was destroyed and the lake nearly became a toxic marsh after WISCO's mills ran for decades.

Since 2003, the company has invested more than 200 million yuan to clean up the silt and restore the landscape.

A waste water treatment plant has been built at the lakeside in order to recycle and process industrial waste water and improve water quality. The plant has a capacity of 192,000 tons of waste water a day.

About 60,000 trees have also been planted along the lake, creating 200,000 sq m of shade and green land for local residents.

And it is hoped that the area will become a new tourist attraction for Wuhan when the polluted water of Beihu Lake turns green again.

"Although steel mill is located next to the Yangtze River, we still cannot waste any drop of water," says Deng.

With comprehensive technologies and treatment plans, WISCO is expected to realize zero discharge of wastewater by 2009, Deng adds.

Disposing of industrial wastes has always been a burden for steel and iron works and the waste produced by WISCO has grown into a barren hill.

The company pioneered a tree-planting program on "residue hill". They chose drought-resistant plants, and grew trees, shrubs, bushes and grass. Along with delicate pavilions and lotus ponds, the old "residue hill" has been transformed into a lovely park.

WISCO's mines have also turned "green" after the company completed planting on over 586.7 hectares of slag heaps. For example, the Daye iron mine in east Hubei Province has become a "national mine park" with a green area of over 266.7 hectares.

The company has also been metaphorically panning for gold with its large amount of industrial wastes. Last year, about 3.2 million tons of iron refuse became materials for cement after processing, and 1.4 million tons of steel residue was used to produce concrete. About 430,000 tons of plaster and 300,000 tons of coal ash were also used in brick manufacture.

In total, more than six million tons of various wastes were transformed into renewable resources and reused, creating an output value of 1.4 billion yuan.

"Company managers have paid great attention to international cooperation, especially when it comes to environmental protection," says Deng.

WISCO has started cooperating with General Electric (GE) to establish the largest blast furnace gas power plant in China.

The power plant with two 160 mW units will be fueled by blast furnace gas, the main emission of iron and steel works.

It has the capacity to generate 2.4 billion kWh of electricity a year and reduce emissions by 2 million tons of carbon dioxide annually. The system is also able to produce 160 tons of steam per hour as a critical part of steel production process.

Delivery of the gas turbines is scheduled for late 2008 and the plant expects to begin operation in late 2009.

"We expect more partnerships with multinationals, research centers and universities to import environmental friendly technologies and carry out new projects, in order to meet the demand of high efficiency and low emissions for WISCO," says Deng.

Every year, 10 percent of fixed asset investments is used in energy saving and environmental protection facilities.

To date, the coal ash discharge by producing one ton steel was 0.94 kg in 2007, down 34.7 percent since 2004, while SO2 emissions decreased 26.4 percent to 2.31 kg per ton steel. Also, the fresh water consumption used for every ton of steel was down to less than six tons, compared to 25.2 tons in 2004.

Deng says WISCO will continue to contribute to environmental protection and emissions reduction campaign in China's steel and iron industry.

(China Daily July 21, 2008)