Recently, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment issued the "Work Plan for Water Pollution Control in Industrial Parks along the Yellow River Province (Region)", which clarifies the scope, objectives, main tasks, and guarantee measures of water pollution control in industrial parks along the Yellow River Province (Region). By implementing rectification measures, by the end of 2024, the centralized sewage treatment facilities in chemical industrial parks and national industrial parks along the Yellow River will operate in compliance with standards, and the quality of sewage pipe networks and sewage collection efficiency will be significantly improved. By the end of 2025, other types of parks will basically achieve the above goals.

The issuance of this document will also release the water pollution control market for industrial parks in 9 provinces (regions) along the Yellow River.

The issue of water pollution in industrial parks has always been a hot topic, and news about illegal and direct discharge of industrial wastewater has frequently appeared in industry news reports.

The Ministry of Ecology and Environment and environmental inspection teams at all levels have been closely monitoring the issue of water pollution treatment in industrial parks for many years. Recently, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment issued the "Work Plan for Water Pollution Control in Industrial Parks along the Yellow River Province (Region)" (hereinafter referred to as the "Work Plan"), which will deepen the work of water pollution control in industrial parks along the Yellow River Province (Region).

As of now, what opportunities will the release of the 'Work Plan' bring to the market for water pollution control in industrial parks? Where are these opportunities distributed?

For many years, water pollution in industrial parks has been a concern

Frequent occurrence of water pollution control problems in industrial parks

For many years, the treatment of water pollution in industrial parks has been closely monitored by the media and relevant departments.

As early as the Ministry of Ecology and Environment announced the first batch of typical cases of the second round and fourth batch of central ecological environment protection inspections, industrial wastewater treatment problems frequently occurred.

Among them, some people reported serious pollution at a non-ferrous smelting plant under a large group. The local government and relevant departments held seven talks or sent letters to urge rectification, but only used emergency measures such as adding iron powder and hydrogen peroxide to the sedimentation tank for "rectification", which did not solve fundamental problems such as non-standard facility construction and old and damaged rainwater and sewage pipelines.

The pollutants illegally discharged from a paper mill in Yunnan Province, including chromaticity, suspended solids, chemical oxygen demand, ammonia nitrogen, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus, all exceeded the prescribed discharge standards. Among them, suspended solids exceeded the national discharge standard by 864 times, and chemical oxygen demand exceeded the local discharge standard by 654 times.

In June 2022, Yongjia Public Security Micro released a case of illegal discharge of more than 2000 tons of industrial wastewater by a sewage treatment plant and a third-party enterprise in a sewage tank with concealed water pipes.

There are countless cases of illegal direct discharge, mixed discharge, and collusion with third-party companies to falsify industrial wastewater.

2. Policies have been successively introduced to guide the gradual release of the industrial wastewater treatment market

In response to this situation, relevant departments have also successively issued various policies for industrial wastewater treatment, guiding the industrial wastewater treatment market to become more standardized, scientific, and rational.

In 2019, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Rural Development, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and the National Development and Reform Commission proposed the "Three Year Action Plan for Improving the Quality and Efficiency of Urban Sewage Treatment (2019-2021)", which stated that industrial clusters should build centralized sewage treatment facilities and required industrial enterprises that may affect the stability and compliance of urban sewage treatment plants to withdraw within a specified period of time.

In March 2022, the General Office of the State Council issued the "Implementation Opinions on Strengthening the Supervision and Management of River and Sea Discharge Outlets", which clearly stated that it will deepen the water pollution control of industrial parks in the Yangtze River Economic Belt and comprehensively launch the special action of water pollution control in industrial parks along the Yellow River Province (region).

On July 27th, Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu reiterated at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office that he will consolidate and improve the quality of water environment, deepen the rectification of water pollution in industrial parks along the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and fully launch the special action for water pollution rectification in industrial parks along the Yellow River Province (region).

The "Work Plan for Water Pollution Control in Industrial Parks along the Yellow River Province (Region)" issued by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment this time is a signal that the water pollution control work in industrial parks along the Yellow River Province (Region) has officially begun.

What markets will be released when the battle for water pollution control in industrial parks in 9 provinces (regions) is launched?

The answer to whether there is a market for industrial wastewater treatment is yes.

Xue Tao, Executive Partner of E20 Environmental Platform, Executive Dean of the Research Institute/Part time Professor at Hunan University, and Visiting Professor at North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, pointed out at the "2023 (21st) Water Industry Strategy Forum" that "To G's business scale is huge, with declining returns and growth bottlenecks. The business space of To B is large, but the market is scattered and the trading interface is complex. How to make a U-turn, municipal water companies are exploring the path of industrial water treatment. ”

Top enterprises rely on their keen market sense to develop their business in the field of industrial wastewater.

So what market opportunities will be released by the "Water Pollution Control Work Plan for Industrial Parks along the Yellow River Province (Region)" issued by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment this time?

The Work Plan specifies the scope, objectives, main tasks, and safeguard measures for water pollution control in industrial parks along the Yellow River in provinces (regions). By implementing rectification measures, by the end of 2024, the centralized sewage treatment facilities in chemical industrial parks and national industrial parks along the Yellow River will operate in compliance with standards, and the quality of sewage pipe networks and sewage collection efficiency will be significantly improved. By the end of 2025, other types of parks will basically achieve the above goals.

Furthermore, from the requirements of the Work Plan:

One is to establish a list of problems. Fully identify the problems in sewage collection, construction and operation of centralized sewage treatment facilities, environmental management of the park, and initial rainwater collection and treatment in the chemical park, and establish a list of problems.

The second is to carry out rectification and cancellation of accounts. Industrial parks with existing problems should develop practical and feasible rectification plans, implement "one park, one policy", clarify rectification tasks and time requirements, and promptly cancel those who complete rectification tasks. For those that are difficult to complete the rectification in the short term, clear phased rectification tasks should be established.

The third is to implement dynamic management. For those involving the merger, upgrading, establishment, or revocation of parks, as well as for those making phased progress in rectification work, relevant information shall be updated in a timely manner through the information system. The Ministry of Ecology and Environment has strengthened supervision and inspection through pollution prevention and control campaigns, provided guidance and assistance to key industrial parks, verified work progress, and included major issues discovered in the scope of central ecological environment protection inspections and on-site investigation and filming of ecological environment warning films in the Yellow River Basin.

The fourth is to create a benchmark. Focusing on industrial parks at or above the provincial level and parks where major water related industries such as chemical, electroplating, papermaking, printing and dyeing, and food are located, we will promote the classification and treatment of initial rainwater, industrial wastewater, and domestic sewage according to their quality. We will strengthen the comprehensive toxicity control capacity of industrial wastewater and standardize the construction of river discharge outlets. We will implement the "one enterprise, one pipe, open pipe transportation, and real-time monitoring" of chemical enterprise sewage to effectively prevent and control environmental risks. Provincial ecological and environmental departments should strengthen guidance, explore effective industrial park management models, recommend excellent cases, and enhance publicity and promotion.

From the perspective of policy content, the market regions and opportunities released by the Work Plan are basically clear:

Firstly, from the scope delineated in the Work Plan, the industrial parks along the Yellow River include nine provinces (regions) along the Yellow River, namely Qinghai, Sichuan, Gansu, Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Henan, and Shandong.

Secondly, provincial-level and above industrial parks, as well as parks where major water related industries such as chemical, electroplating, papermaking, printing and dyeing, and food are located, are given priority. Enterprises with industrial wastewater treatment technology can focus on the parks where these industries are located.

Thirdly, the "Work Plan" points out that a comprehensive understanding of the construction and operation of sewage collection and centralized treatment facilities in the industrial park, environmental management in the park, and initial rainwater collection and treatment in the chemical park will be carried out. This means that the construction and renovation projects of the industrial park's wastewater pipeline network will also experience a small explosion.

Although there are opportunities in the industrial park wastewater treatment market, they will also be reserved for those who are prepared. Only enterprises with various industrial wastewater treatment technologies can prioritize entering the markets released by these provinces (regions).

Source: China Water Network