China's New Pollutant Control Enters the "Fast Track" Technology | Pollutants | China
At present, China has carried out work in the monitoring and analysis of toxic and harmful new pollutants, risk assessment, emission source tracing, research and evaluation of effective pollutant removal technologies, and has established a "screening evaluation control" hierarchical identification and classification management system for new pollutant treatment. A series of standards and technical specifications have been formed, effectively supporting the work of new pollutant treatment.
Reporter Li He from this newspaper
Recently, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment released a notice on the environmental risk control requirements for five types of persistent organic pollutants, including polychlorinated naphthalene, which made provisions for the elimination or restriction of these five types of persistent organic pollutants. As of now, China has completely phased out 23 types of persistent organic pollutants controlled by the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, and the intensity of dioxin emissions from major industries in the country has significantly decreased. China has entered a fast lane in the treatment of new pollutants.
Dynamically carry out "screening evaluation control" of new pollutants
New pollutants refer to toxic and harmful chemicals that are discharged into the environment and have characteristics such as biological toxicity, environmental persistence, and bioaccumulation, posing significant risks to the ecological environment or human health. However, they have not yet been included in management or existing management measures are insufficient to effectively prevent and control their risks.
It is understood that most new pollutants have various biological toxicity, including organ toxicity, neurotoxicity, reproductive and developmental toxicity, immunotoxicity, endocrine disrupting effects, carcinogenicity, teratogenicity, and so on. At the same time, new pollutants can also migrate over long distances with air and water flow, and accumulate in organisms for a long time after being enriched in the food chain.
In May last year, the General Office of the State Council issued the Action Plan for the Control of New Pollutants, which pointed out that the production and use of toxic and harmful chemicals are the main sources of new pollutants.
At present, the new pollutants that are widely concerned at home and abroad mainly include persistent organic pollutants controlled by international conventions, endocrine disruptors, antibiotics, etc. The Action Plan also clearly proposes phased goals, tasks, and implementation roadmap for the treatment of new pollutants. The promulgation of the Action Plan means that China's new pollutant control work has been fully launched.
Liu Guozheng, Director of the Solid Waste and Chemical Management Technology Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, said that unlike conventional pollution prevention and control, the complexity of new pollutant control lies in the variety of toxic and harmful chemical substances, wide sources, and hidden environmental risks. When determining the treatment measures for each new pollutant, it is necessary to closely consider the specificity of environmental risks and find targeted environmental management strategies.
"At present, China has carried out work in the monitoring and analysis of toxic and harmful new pollutants, risk assessment, emission source tracing, research and evaluation of effective pollutant removal technologies, and has established a new pollutant treatment system of" screening evaluation control "step-by-step identification and classification management. A series of standards and technical specifications, such as the" Framework Guidelines for Chemical Environmental Risk Assessment Technology and Methods ", have been formed, effectively supporting the work of new pollutant treatment." said Zou Shoumin, Director of the Science and Finance Department of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.
The new pollutant control system of "screening evaluation control" is a comprehensive environmental risk control measure implemented by relevant units through investigation and monitoring, screening out new pollutants with high environmental risks, scientifically evaluating their environmental risks, and then implementing source control, process emission reduction, and end of pipe treatment. Liu Guozheng said that as people's understanding of the hazards of new pollutants is a constantly deepening process, the screening and environmental risk assessment of new pollutants still need to be continuously promoted.
Green alternatives assist in the treatment of new pollutants
For many years, China has vigorously developed green alternatives and alternative technologies for new pollutants, effectively supporting the work of treating new pollutants.
Taking hexabromocyclododecane as an example, HBCD is a polybrominated white solid substance that can be added as a flame retardant to other materials. Research has found that HBCD itself is toxic and easily enters organisms. The long-term accumulation of HBCD in large quantities may also increase the risk of cancer.
Shandong is a major province for the production and processing of HBCD. Zou Xiaodong, Director of the Solid Waste and Chemicals Department of the Shandong Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment, said that in the process of promoting the elimination of HBCD, the Shandong Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment has scientifically formulated plans to assist enterprises in finding green and advanced alternative products and process technologies, and promote industrial optimization and upgrading.
"After repeated research and experimental certification by experts, it has been found that methyl octabromoethane and brominated SBS can effectively replace HBCD, and have industrial production conditions and low environmental risks. Enterprises that used to use HBCD to produce insulation boards only need to adjust process parameters to use substitutes for production and ensure product quality meets national requirements. Now, the production capacity of these two types of substitutes is constantly expanding, and production and sales are booming," said Liu Qiang, director of the Shandong Solid Waste and Hazardous Chemical Pollution Prevention and Control Center.
Liu Youbin, spokesperson for the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, stated that China has strengthened the research and application of alternatives and technologies for persistent organic pollutants, helping more than ten industries such as steel, chemical, papermaking, and building materials to achieve green transformation and upgrading. At present, the overall level of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in environmental and biological samples in China is showing a downward trend.
Not only that, China has also contributed "acceleration" to the global governance of new pollutants.
As one of the first signatory countries of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, China has reduced production and environmental emissions of hundreds of thousands of tons of persistent organic pollutants annually, and has achieved its compliance goal of offline disposal of power equipment containing polychlorinated biphenyls ahead of schedule.
Former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Qiu Qiwen, stated that since the signing of the convention, China has established a national compliance mechanism, built an environmental risk prevention and control system, strengthened green substitution, and participated in global governance, contributing Chinese solutions, wisdom, and strength to compliance.
The Opinion of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council on Deepening the Battle of Pollution Prevention and Control, issued in 2021, proposes the implementation of investigation, monitoring, and environmental risk assessment for persistent organic pollutants, establishing and improving the environmental risk management system for toxic and harmful chemicals, and strengthening source access requirements.
According to the Action Plan, during the 14th Five Year Plan period, China will carry out special treatment for a group of key controlled new pollutants. At the same time, establish and improve management systems and technical systems, and strengthen legal protection. Strengthen technological support and basic capacity building, enhance publicity and guidance, and promote social governance.
Establishing a technological support system for the treatment of new pollutants
According to incomplete statistics, after the release of the Action Plan, about 30 regions across the country have released local plans for the treatment of new pollutants. The governance of new pollutants is accelerating nationwide.
However, it cannot be denied that the treatment of new pollutants in China is still in its early stages, facing difficulties and challenges such as high difficulty in treatment, high technical complexity, and insufficient scientific understanding.
"In the face of new challenges and new prevention and control needs, we should focus on effective prevention of environmental and health risks of new pollutants, with the goal of building a risk assessment and control technology system for new pollutants, establishing and improving risk assessment methodology, and identifying key risk sources, and carry out a series of basic theoretical research and research and development of key technologies." Hou Li'an, academician of the CAE Member, stressed that we should vigorously develop efficient and sensitive new pollutant detection technologies, achieve research on the identification of new pollutants, focus on the management and control of new pollutant lists, carry out research on the evaluation system of biological toxicity and health risks of new pollutants, develop green and efficient practical removal technologies for new pollutants, and develop and build smart water networks covering the transformation and migration system of new pollutants supported by big data technology.
Jiang Guibin, an academician of the CAS Member and a researcher of the Ecological Environment Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that in the face of more complicated environmental problems of new pollutants, China needs to establish a relatively complete scientific and technological innovation mechanism, promote the research and development and application of new pollutant treatment technologies, improve the effect of new and high-tech pollutant treatment, and ensure the continuous improvement of the ecological environment. For example, developing green alternatives through technologies such as blockchain and deep learning; By combining artificial intelligence and automation technology, develop toxicity testing and prioritized screening systems for new pollutants.
Jiang Guibin said that deep learning systems based on artificial intelligence can further advance the prevention and risk warning of new pollutants. For example, starting from the structural design of a compound, a green chemical synthesis plan can be proposed to reduce the production of potentially harmful chemicals to the ecological environment from the source, and provide virtual screening for the safe design of environmentally friendly alternatives.
At present, China has carried out work in the monitoring and analysis of toxic and harmful new pollutants, risk assessment, emission source tracing, research and evaluation of effective pollutant removal technologies, and has established a "screening evaluation control" hierarchical identification and classification management system for new pollutant treatment. A series of standards and technical specifications have been formed, effectively supporting the work of new pollutant treatment.
Reporter Li He from this newspaper
Recently, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment released a notice on the environmental risk control requirements for five types of persistent organic pollutants, including polychlorinated naphthalene, which made provisions for the elimination or restriction of these five types of persistent organic pollutants. As of now, China has completely phased out 23 types of persistent organic pollutants controlled by the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, and the intensity of dioxin emissions from major industries in the country has significantly decreased. China has entered a fast lane in the treatment of new pollutants.
Dynamically carry out "screening evaluation control" of new pollutants
New pollutants refer to toxic and harmful chemicals that are discharged into the environment and have characteristics such as biological toxicity, environmental persistence, and bioaccumulation, posing significant risks to the ecological environment or human health. However, they have not yet been included in management or existing management measures are insufficient to effectively prevent and control their risks.
It is understood that most new pollutants have various biological toxicity, including organ toxicity, neurotoxicity, reproductive and developmental toxicity, immunotoxicity, endocrine disrupting effects, carcinogenicity, teratogenicity, and so on. At the same time, new pollutants can also migrate over long distances with air and water flow, and accumulate in organisms for a long time after being enriched in the food chain.
In May last year, the General Office of the State Council issued the Action Plan for the Control of New Pollutants, which pointed out that the production and use of toxic and harmful chemicals are the main sources of new pollutants.
At present, the new pollutants that are widely concerned at home and abroad mainly include persistent organic pollutants controlled by international conventions, endocrine disruptors, antibiotics, etc. The Action Plan also clearly proposes phased goals, tasks, and implementation roadmap for the treatment of new pollutants. The promulgation of the Action Plan means that China's new pollutant control work has been fully launched.
Liu Guozheng, Director of the Solid Waste and Chemical Management Technology Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, said that unlike conventional pollution prevention and control, the complexity of new pollutant control lies in the variety of toxic and harmful chemical substances, wide sources, and hidden environmental risks. When determining the treatment measures for each new pollutant, it is necessary to closely consider the specificity of environmental risks and find targeted environmental management strategies.
"At present, China has carried out work in the monitoring and analysis of toxic and harmful new pollutants, risk assessment, emission source tracing, research and evaluation of effective pollutant removal technologies, and has established a new pollutant treatment system of" screening evaluation control "step-by-step identification and classification management. A series of standards and technical specifications, such as the" Framework Guidelines for Chemical Environmental Risk Assessment Technology and Methods ", have been formed, effectively supporting the work of new pollutant treatment." said Zou Shoumin, Director of the Science and Finance Department of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.
The new pollutant control system of "screening evaluation control" is a comprehensive environmental risk control measure implemented by relevant units through investigation and monitoring, screening out new pollutants with high environmental risks, scientifically evaluating their environmental risks, and then implementing source control, process emission reduction, and end of pipe treatment. Liu Guozheng said that as people's understanding of the hazards of new pollutants is a constantly deepening process, the screening and environmental risk assessment of new pollutants still need to be continuously promoted.
Green alternatives assist in the treatment of new pollutants
For many years, China has vigorously developed green alternatives and alternative technologies for new pollutants, effectively supporting the work of treating new pollutants.
Taking hexabromocyclododecane as an example, HBCD is a polybrominated white solid substance that can be added as a flame retardant to other materials. Research has found that HBCD itself is toxic and easily enters organisms. The long-term accumulation of HBCD in large quantities may also increase the risk of cancer.
Shandong is a major province for the production and processing of HBCD. Zou Xiaodong, Director of the Solid Waste and Chemicals Department of the Shandong Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment, said that in the process of promoting the elimination of HBCD, the Shandong Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment has scientifically formulated plans to assist enterprises in finding green and advanced alternative products and process technologies, and promote industrial optimization and upgrading.
"After repeated research and experimental certification by experts, it has been found that methyl octabromoethane and brominated SBS can effectively replace HBCD, and have industrial production conditions and low environmental risks. Enterprises that used to use HBCD to produce insulation boards only need to adjust process parameters to use substitutes for production and ensure product quality meets national requirements. Now, the production capacity of these two types of substitutes is constantly expanding, and production and sales are booming," said Liu Qiang, director of the Shandong Solid Waste and Hazardous Chemical Pollution Prevention and Control Center.
Liu Youbin, spokesperson for the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, stated that China has strengthened the research and application of alternatives and technologies for persistent organic pollutants, helping more than ten industries such as steel, chemical, papermaking, and building materials to achieve green transformation and upgrading. At present, the overall level of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in environmental and biological samples in China is showing a downward trend.
Not only that, China has also contributed "acceleration" to the global governance of new pollutants.
As one of the first signatory countries of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, China has reduced production and environmental emissions of hundreds of thousands of tons of persistent organic pollutants annually, and has achieved its compliance goal of offline disposal of power equipment containing polychlorinated biphenyls ahead of schedule.
Former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Qiu Qiwen, stated that since the signing of the convention, China has established a national compliance mechanism, built an environmental risk prevention and control system, strengthened green substitution, and participated in global governance, contributing Chinese solutions, wisdom, and strength to compliance.
The Opinion of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council on Deepening the Battle of Pollution Prevention and Control, issued in 2021, proposes the implementation of investigation, monitoring, and environmental risk assessment for persistent organic pollutants, establishing and improving the environmental risk management system for toxic and harmful chemicals, and strengthening source access requirements.
According to the Action Plan, during the 14th Five Year Plan period, China will carry out special treatment for a group of key controlled new pollutants. At the same time, establish and improve management systems and technical systems, and strengthen legal protection. Strengthen technological support and basic capacity building, enhance publicity and guidance, and promote social governance.
Establishing a technological support system for the treatment of new pollutants
According to incomplete statistics, after the release of the Action Plan, about 30 regions across the country have released local plans for the treatment of new pollutants. The governance of new pollutants is accelerating nationwide.
However, it cannot be denied that the treatment of new pollutants in China is still in its early stages, facing difficulties and challenges such as high difficulty in treatment, high technical complexity, and insufficient scientific understanding.
"In the face of new challenges and new prevention and control needs, we should focus on effective prevention of environmental and health risks of new pollutants, with the goal of building a risk assessment and control technology system for new pollutants, establishing and improving risk assessment methodology, and identifying key risk sources, and carry out a series of basic theoretical research and research and development of key technologies." Hou Li'an, academician of the CAE Member, stressed that we should vigorously develop efficient and sensitive new pollutant detection technologies, achieve research on the identification of new pollutants, focus on the management and control of new pollutant lists, carry out research on the evaluation system of biological toxicity and health risks of new pollutants, develop green and efficient practical removal technologies for new pollutants, and develop and build smart water networks covering the transformation and migration system of new pollutants supported by big data technology.
Jiang Guibin, an academician of the CAS Member and a researcher of the Ecological Environment Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that in the face of more complicated environmental problems of new pollutants, China needs to establish a relatively complete scientific and technological innovation mechanism, promote the research and development and application of new pollutant treatment technologies, improve the effect of new and high-tech pollutant treatment, and ensure the continuous improvement of the ecological environment. For example, developing green alternatives through technologies such as blockchain and deep learning; By combining artificial intelligence and automation technology, develop toxicity testing and prioritized screening systems for new pollutants.
Jiang Guibin said that deep learning systems based on artificial intelligence can further advance the prevention and risk warning of new pollutants. For example, starting from the structural design of a compound, a green chemical synthesis plan can be proposed to reduce the production of potentially harmful chemicals to the ecological environment from the source, and provide virtual screening for the safe design of environmentally friendly alternatives.
