China's steel giant, Capital Iron and Steel Company, has decided to devote itself to environmental construction, in order to shed its stereotype as a polluter, said Zhu Jimin, general manager of the plant.
The steel giant, burdened with 170,000 workers and 70,000 retired workers, plans to launch several ecological projects to alleviate the capital's pollution, according to Zhu.
One plan is to build a waste plastic center designed to recycle 20,000 tons of plastic annually and gradually lift this annual rate to 100,000 tons. It is hoped this will solve the capital's "white pollution" problem.
Another is to set up a processing center for no longer used vehicles which have been increasing in Beijing and neighboring areas.
Since 1995 the Capital Iron and Steel Company has spent about 1.2 billion yuan (US$149 million) on 209 environmental projects, according to Zhu. Last year the plant became a popular scenic spot for citizens whereas in the past red and black smoke billowed out of the heavily stained chimneys.
Statistics show that the company has cut its emission of smoke by 78 percent, dust by 60 percent and sulfur dioxide by 66 percent.
"At the suggestion of ecologists we have been making our company cleaner and ecologically friendly by transferring urban energy and recycling urban rubbish. " Zhu Jimin said.
(Xinhua News Agency July 5, 2002)
