Yonggang Group develops into a comprehensive steel company focusing on sintering steel rolling and processing products. [Photo/Official WeChat account: zjggsl]

A solid waste treatment center for leftover mud and dust resulting from metallurgy was launched by Zhangjiagang's Yonggang Group on Aug 18. It will advance the city's sustainable and ecofriendly development efforts.

Yonggang Group, a steel enterprise based in Zhangjiagang, has adhered firmly to the strategy of ecofriendly development and the circular economy over the past several years. The group invested 341 million yuan (nearly $50 million) in the construction of the waste treatment center, which covers an area of 95 mu (6.33 hectares) and is expected to handle 250,000 metric tons of leftover mud and dust produced during metallurgy processes.

"A certain amount of mud and dust contain iron and zinc in the process of iron and steel smelting. The treatment project will help recycle these valuable resources and eliminate harmful substances such as chloridion and alkalis," said Qian Liying, manager of Yonggang's recycling department.

Unlike traditional metallurgical processes, Yonggang has applied innovative measures to pursue a pollution-free manufacturing process, which has greatly improved the quality of its products and resulted in economic gain for the group, according to Qian.

In 2018, Yonggang injected 650 million yuan into the planning and construction of an industrial park for the circular economy, and the group's comprehensive utilization base for bulk solid waste received the approval of the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in 2019, making it one of 50 such bases in China.