Zhongkai High-tech Zone actively promotes the construction of "waste-free parks","waste-free factories" and "waste-free + manufacturing" to ignite a new engine for green development

Tonghu Production Base of Huizhou Yiwei Lithium Energy Co., Ltd. Photo by Huizhou Daily reporter Huang Xinwei

Walking into the Tonghu production base of Huizhou Yiwei Lithium Energy Co., Ltd.(hereinafter referred to as "Yiwei Lithium Energy"), four huge cylindrical tanks quickly came into view; the NMP waste liquid generated by the battery production line was continuously transported by tank trucks. Here, purified by a rectification column, the final product is NMP solution that can be supplied to the manufacturing end again... By using on-site utilization, this project reduces the generation of waste from the source and effectively reduces safety and environmental risks during transportation.

This is a microcosm of Zhongkai High-tech Zone's promotion of the construction of a "waste-free city."

The concept of "waste-free" is a concept of sustainable development and a concept of green development; behind "waste-free", there are green productivity and new productivity. In recent years, Zhongkai High-tech Zone has implemented the concept of "waste-free" and vigorously promoted the construction of a "waste-free city." In 2023, the district will take the lead in starting construction work in the city and establish a leading group for the construction of a "waste-free city" to comprehensively promote the source reduction, resource utilization and harmless disposal of solid waste across the region."waste-free factories" and "waste-free parks" and "waste-free schools" have been built here one after another. Based on local realities, new engines of green development are ignited through "waste-free + manufacturing" and drive the development of new quality productivity of enterprises. Among them, Yiwei Lithium Energy's lithium battery life cycle and industry chain pollution and carbon reduction demonstration project was selected into the list of typical experience models for the construction of "waste-free cities" in Guangdong Province, becoming a powerful engine for Huizhou to promote the construction of "waste-free cities", stimulating the endogenous power of new quality productivity, setting an example for industry enterprises in the city.

Circular green supply chains increase annual income for enterprises by 140 million yuan

NMP, also known as "N-methylpyrrolidone", is an indispensable solvent in the manufacturing process of lithium batteries. It is used to dissolve the cathode material adhesive polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and finally complete the coating process of the cathode material. Along with the coating process, a lot of waste liquid is produced at the battery manufacturing end.

"In the past, we needed to transport recycled waste liquid back to the supplier for disposal. Not only was the distance and the cost was high, but there were also environmental safety risks of long-distance transportation and storage." Chen Yuanming, manager of the M13 production department of Huizhou Yiwei Lithium Energy Co., Ltd., said that starting from 2023, the company will carry out strategic cooperation and build a circular economy green supply chain by building an NMP recycling center.

Chen Yuanming introduced that the company has built a self-utilization device with a total scale of 100,000 tons of NMP raw materials, and has currently completed the first phase of the construction target of 50,000 tons. By utilizing NMP recycled liquid locally, the company has realized the recycling of NMP in the park, effectively avoiding carbon dioxide emissions from the outsourcing transportation process from the source.

According to preliminary statistics, the company's NMP recovery rate has reached 99.6%, and the purity has reached 99.9%. As a case of the province's first lithium battery factory supporting NMP self-utilization equipment, at full production, it is estimated that carbon emissions during transportation can be reduced by 1900 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) per year, and on-site utilization and recycling promote resource utilization., high-quality assistance in the construction of a "waste-free city". At the same time, the project has also brought positive benefits to enterprises to reduce costs and increase efficiency. It is estimated that the annual revenue of the first phase of the project will reach 140 million yuan, and create a number of local jobs, achieving a win-win situation between social and economic benefits.

After years of rapid development, Yiwei Lithium Energy has become a globally competitive high-quality lithium battery platform enterprise. In recent years, the company has deeply implemented the concept of sustainable development, actively explored the lithium battery manufacturing process, product delivery, solid waste disposal and other aspects. Digital intelligence has empowered the promotion of extreme manufacturing in the production process, and studied the resource utilization and recycling of solid waste. Utilize technology, invest in the construction of waste lithium battery recycling projects, promote the construction of the lithium battery industry to reduce pollution and carbon emissions throughout the life cycle and entire industrial chain, and create a typical benchmark for "waste-free factories" in the new energy industry.

"In terms of source reduction, we continue to pursue extreme manufacturing and introduce process technological transformation and lean improvement methods." Chen Jinghong, manager of the Lithium Energy Circular Economy Department of Yiwei, said that through this method, the company continues to improve product yields, save materials, and reduce solid waste generation and carbon dioxide emissions in various processes in the manufacturing process. Thousands of tons of waste generation and tens of thousands of tons of carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced every year. Yiwei Lithium Energy continues to improve the source reduction and resource utilization level of solid waste, creating a new model for the green cycle and low-carbon development and construction of the new energy battery industry in Huizhou City.

Deepen green transformation and accelerate the development of new productive forces

A city, like a living person, consumes various resources all the time, and also creates various garbage and waste. How to deal with waste tests the governance wisdom of every city.

In recent years, the municipal party committee and municipal government have attached great importance to the construction of "waste-free cities". In April 2022, Huizhou City was included in the list of "waste-free cities" construction during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period issued by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment. In September of the same year, the "Huizhou City Pilot Implementation Plan for the Construction of a" Waste-Free City "(2021-2025)" was officially issued. During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, Huizhou implemented the construction of a "waste-free city" across the region, using it as an "important window" for refined urban construction and management and an important carrier to showcase Huizhou's style, and continuously promoted the modernization of the solid waste management system and governance capabilities.

In this process, Zhongkai High-tech Zone insisted on being at the forefront. In September 2023, it took the lead in issuing implementation plans among all counties (districts) in the city, determined "1+5+N" work tasks, and set a total of 47 indicators, 8 key tasks, 69 work tasks, 18 key projects, and 50 "waste cell-free" projects, and implemented annually. That year, the district completed the improvement of the collection and transportation system for large garden waste, completed the construction of a daily processing facility for kitchen waste and a construction waste resource utilization plant, and completed the construction of a number of "waste-free urban cells."

Since the beginning of this year, Zhongkai High-tech Zone has continued to work hard around the construction goal and implementation path of "waste-free city." At present, the site selection and distribution of three "waste-free hospitals" pilot projects for intelligent collection of medical waste has been completed. The phased construction of two "waste-free parks" and the municipal "waste-free school" pilot projects have been basically completed. The first draft of the evaluation rules for "waste-free villages" has been drafted, and an implementation plan is being drafted for the construction of "waste-free towns and streets".

"Looking to the future, Zhongkai High-tech Zone will take 'no waste + manufacturing' as an important starting point to accelerate the development of new quality productivity and deepen the green transformation of the district." The relevant person in charge of the Zhongkai Branch of the Municipal Ecological Environment Bureau said that next, the district will continue to promote the reduction, recycling and harmlessness of solid waste in the district, consolidate the green foundation of "waste-free" development, and contribute to the construction of Huizhou's "waste-free city" Contribute Zhongkai strength.