1. Project Summary and Relationship to China's Agenda 21 This project aims to enhance China's capacity for the management and disposal of hazardous wastes and to establish regulations, standards through the construction of disposal demonstration project of hazardous waste. This project is based on programme area 19A of China's Agenda 21, and is related to programme areas 6D and 9B.
2. Background The improper disposal of hazardous waste has created a serious environmental problem in China. By 1995, a total industrial solid waste is up to 6.64 billion tons, which occupied an area of 55,000 hectares. Each year, industry produces more than 600 million tons of solid waste, of which 30-40 million tons, roughly 5-7%, are hazardous. Most of this waste is simply stored or improperly treated, causing heavy pollution to soil, underground water and surface water. This has threaten human health. With the rapid growth of Chinese industry, hazardous wastes have become an increasing environmental problem which will hinder the development of society and the economy in China. Today, the major problems in this area include: (1) Absence of legal controls, regulations, technical criteria and standards. Though the Law of Pollution Prevention and Control of Solid Wastes, effective since April 1, 1996, gives special stipulations on hazardous waste pollution control, and has established the systems of registration and licensing, a series of guidelines and standards on identification, classification, packing, collection, transportation, storage and disposal of hazardous waste, are not yet formulated. No uniform and detailed technical support system exists; (2) Inadequate technology and equipment, particularly in design, management and operation of disposal site. Very few sites for hazardous waste disposal in China can meet the technical requirements; (3) Serious constraints in funding and expertise for management and disposal; (4) Lack of trained personnel in the management, treatment and disposal of solid wastes. Moreover, the hazardous waste management system is imperfect and need to be improved; (5) The increase of transporting hazardous waste across state lines has created great concerns in China. Research on hazardous waste management, treatment and disposal is regarded as of major importance to the national program for scientific and technological development. Industrial sectors and local governments have paid increasing attention to hazardous waste disposal. Some site construction projects have been put on the agenda. During 1990-1995, the capacity building project for Beijingís industrial hazardous waste management was completed with financial support from the World Bank. On this basis, the Asian Development Bank approved a loan of 7 million US dollars to finance the Beijing Hazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal Project. Similarly, China's other large city, Tianjin attaches great importance to the hazardous waste problem. Currently, Tianjin Environmental Protection Bureau (TEPB) is co-operating with an American consulting company to conduct a study on management and disposal strategy. There is also a study on the feasibility of an incineration plant in Tianjin. At the beginning of 1993, in response to the Basel Convention, the National Training and Technology Transfer Centre for Hazardous Waste Management and Disposal (NTTTC) was established at the Tsinghua University. This Centre has carried out several training programs and spreads effective techniques across the country. In addition, some facilities for laboratory study on hazardous waste landfill and incineration have been set up in the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences (CRAES). These efforts have provided a foundation for the recommendations of the Basel Convention.
3. Objectives 3.1 Long-term Objective To enhance the capacity of China's hazardous waste management, treatment and disposal to reduce the hazardous to the environment and human health. 3.2 Immediate Objectives * To formulate regulations, criteria and standards related to the Law of Pollution Prevention and Control of Solid Wastes, and establish the technical support system for China's hazardous waste management, treatment and disposal; * To establish demonstration projects of hazardous waste treatment and disposal, which adopt secure landfill, incineration and comprehensive utilisation technologies in Beijing, Tianjin and other cities and serve as models for construction of other regional centralised disposal sites in China.
4. Outputs and Activities 4.1 Establishment of a regulation, standards and policy system for hazardous waste management * To evaluate existing environmental policies, laws, management mechanisms, technical criteria and standards related to hazardous waste management; * To formulate detailed rules and regulations on the Law of Pollution Prevention and Control of Solid Wastes, Guidelines to Licensing of Collection, Storage and Disposal of Hazardous Wastes, Administrative Measures on Reporting System of Hazardous Waste Transfer, and Inventory of Hazardous Wastes in China; * To formulate technical criteria and safe operation standards for hazardous waste identification, classification, packing, transportation, storage and disposal (including landfill and incineration); * To draft special law and, and train 80 senior management personnel in hazardous waste management; * To study and formulate incentive policies for minimisation and exchange of hazardous waste. Monitoring Indicators: detailed Regulations on the Law of Pollution Prevention and Control of Solid Wastes, Regulations on Hazardous Waste Management (Draft), Technical Criteria and Safe Operation Standards on Hazardous Waste Management (Draft), etc. Implementing Agencies: National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA), Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences (CRAES), Tsinghua University, etc. Time Schedule: January 1997 - December 1999 4.2 Establishment of a database and information system for hazardous waste management * To evaluate the existing database systems on hazardous waste management; * To formulate standards, methods and procedure of data collection; * To establish a database and information system for hazardous waste management, including such parameters as classification, generators, quantities, distribution, license, permits, treatment and disposal measures, tracking records, registration, etc.; * To train 60 professionals for management of database and information system. Monitoring Indicator: Information System for China's Hazardous Waste Management, which must be evaluated and approved by a group of recognised experts in this field Implementing Agencies: National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA), Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences (CRAES), Tsinghua University, etc. Time Schedule: January 1997 - December 1998 4.3 Establish a Beijing industrial hazardous waste treatment and disposal demonstration project, which includes a secure landfill site with the capacity of 1500 m3/year and 20 years of operation, and an incineration plant with the capacity of 20,000 tons/year. * To compile and produce a feasibility study report and a preliminary engineering design report on the secure landfill and incineration, and develop a major equipment list; * To select appropriate foreign investor to construct the secure landfill site and incineration plant; * To produce operation manuals for the landfill site and incineration plant, and carry out a training program for 30 management and technical personnel. Monitoring Indicators: completion of Beijing Hazardous Waste Secure Landfill and Incineration Plant Implementing Agencies: Beijing Municipal Government, Beijing Industrial Hazardous Waste Management Centre, etc. Time Schedule: January 1997 - December 1999 4.4 Establishment of Tianjin hazardous waste disposal and comprehensive utilisation demonstration project * To conduct a study on the comprehensive utilisation of industrial hazardous wastes, including heavy metal collection and reuse, to produce a feasibility study report on incineration and comprehensive utilisation of Tianjin industrial hazardous wastes; * To formulate a preliminary engineering design report and develop a major equipment list; * To complete detailed engineering design report; * To construct the demonstration project and carry out a training program for 30 management and technical personnel. Monitoring Indicators: Tianjin Hazardous Waste Incineration and Comprehensive Utilisation Plant Implementing Agencies: Tianjin Municipal Government, Tianjin Environmental Protection Bureau, etc. Time Schedule: January 1997 - December 1999
5. Inputs 5.1 Chinese Inputs Chinese inputs will be mainly used for the demonstration project. 5.2 International Inputs International inputs will be used for the establishment of a technical support system for hazardous waste management and investment in the demonstration project. 5.3 Budget The total capital needed for this project is US$ 38.60 million. The Chinese side will raise US$ 14.50 million from domestic sources, while the international aid and investment will cover US$ 24.10 million.
Table 1. Budget by Item (in million US dollars)
Table 2. Budget by Output (in million US dollars)
6. Benefits This project will help China establish an integrated technical support system for hazardous waste management. The capacity of waste management, at both national and local levels, will be greatly enhanced. This project will train 200 professionals and a core team of hazardous waste management will be formed. Through the establishment of the demonstration projects in Beijing and Tianjin, the rate of treatment and disposal of hazardous waste will rise to over 70%. The living environment of the local people will be improved. The experience gained from the demonstration projects can provide a basis for other hazardous waste disposal projects around the country. The target beneficiaries are the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA), the local environmental protection departments and research institutions which participate in the project, and the residents of Beijing and Tianjin.
7. Risks The risks affecting implementation of this project include: (1) No financial mechanism for final disposal of hazardous wastes exists in China. In this case, the domestic financial arrangement for this project should be further defined; (2) There may not be a timely injection of foreign funds. Recently, the Chinese government has given great attention to hazardous waste management and disposal. The support and participation of NEPA and many research institutions, as well as the co-operation between China and the international community, will weaken the probability of these risks and ensure the project implementation. Text Browser Utilities: |Back| |ACCA21 Home| | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||