Xinhua News Agency, Nanjing, December 10th - Topic: Reducing Waste at the Source and Turning Waste into Treasure - First line Observations on the Construction of a "Waste free City" in Suqian, Jiangsu Province

100% harmless treatment of household waste, construction of permanent sludge disposal facilities in the central urban area, and rapid promotion of "waste free textiles" and "waste free express delivery"... Recent interviews with reporters have found that Suqian City in Jiangsu Province is solidly promoting the construction of a "waste free city", accelerating the reduction of solid waste sources, resource utilization, and harmless treatment, and promoting green production and lifestyle.

"Previously, cardboard boxes and plastic bags were mixed with kitchen waste and thrown away directly. Now, the community has a garbage sorting station, which can be recycled and reused. We can also exchange points for daily necessities." When it comes to the benefits of garbage sorting, Wu Jingjing, a resident of the Moon City community in Sucheng District, couldn't help but praise it.

Since 2022, Sucheng District has accelerated the layout of public area garbage classification and disposal facilities. Currently, the coverage rate of garbage classification and disposal facilities in urban residential areas and government agencies has reached 100%; 10 compressed garbage transfer stations have been built and put into use in townships, and the household waste collection and transportation system has achieved full coverage at the three levels of towns, villages, and groups.

To promote the reduction of solid waste, the ecological and environmental department of Suqian has solidly carried out the "zero landfill" of hazardous waste. "By the end of this year, the landfill rate of hazardous waste in the city will be reduced to 37%, and it is planned to be controlled below 5% by the end of 2025," said Zhu Zengyin, Director of the Suqian Ecological Environment Bureau.

Entering the production area of Jiangsu Tianneng Resource Recycling Technology Co., Ltd. located in Shuyang County, a large grab bucket moves the waste lead-acid batteries from the recycling pool to a crusher. After crushing, melting, and other treatments, three products can be obtained: lead, plastic, and sulfuric acid, all of which are raw materials for manufacturing new batteries.

Zhong Jinqiang, Deputy General Manager of Tianneng Company, introduced that relying on 20000 recycling outlets in the province, the company has achieved full lifecycle management of lead-acid batteries and built a closed-loop circular economy industry chain. At present, the enterprise can recycle and process 250000 tons of waste lead batteries annually, producing approximately 170000 tons of recycled lead, 14000 tons of ABS plastic, and 24000 tons of refined sulfuric acid. Tianneng Company is expected to achieve a production value of 3 billion yuan this year.

On the broad grassland northwest of Wangguai Village in Weiying Town, Sihong County, six 20 meter high white reaction tanks are very prominent. This is the site of the Sihong Livestock and Poultry Manure Resource Utilization Green Island Project. Project leader Zhang Renqiu told reporters that after solid-liquid separation, livestock and poultry manure can be used to produce compost and organic fertilizer through anaerobic fermentation technology. After treatment, the biogas slurry is returned to the field for consumption, achieving a two-way increase in income for livestock and poultry breeding and crop cultivation.

In addition to fertilization and reuse, livestock and poultry manure can also achieve energy regeneration. There are currently 906 livestock and poultry farms in Sihong County, producing over 1.8 million tons of livestock and poultry manure annually. "The biogas produced can reach a certain concentration and be used for power generation. We are laying out relevant power infrastructure in the agricultural production areas of the county." Zhou Qian, Deputy General Manager of State Grid Sihong County Power Supply Company, said that after treatment, the annual power generation of these feces is about 45 million kilowatt hours.

Suqian will take carbon reduction, pollution reduction, and green expansion as the overall focus, and collaborate to promote the construction of a 'waste free city' in industries, agriculture, and daily life, promoting the comprehensive green transformation of the city and creating a new connotation in the entire area