Third-party pollution control encounters "three difficulties"

The reporter recently learned that some localities are exploring new modes of third-party pollution control through enterprise-enterprise cooperation, hospital cooperation, and government-enterprise cooperation. However, under the influence of the pollution control mechanism, difficulties in the definition of responsibilities, and difficulties in the supervision of the government, it is still necessary for the third-party governance of the environment to take much action.

Initial formation of three modes

Interviewees pointed out that the core of "third-party environmental pollution management" is to conduct specialized division of labor, and pollution control is changed from "who is polluting and who govern" to "who is polluting, who pays, and third-party governance." A survey by the reporter found that there are currently three main methods of environmental third-party governance.

——Enterprise cooperation. In Jiangsu Ziguang Jidi Environmental Technology Co., Ltd., the reporter saw that workers are rushing to desulfurization and denitrification steel pipes and other parts sent to Anhui. Tang Jianzhong, deputy general manager of the company, said that the exhaust gas emitted from a coal-fired power plant in Anhui was not up to the standard all the year round. After installing the equipment they were responsible for pollution control, the effect was obvious. "The installation of environmental protection equipment for a medium-sized coal-fired power plant costs about 150 million yuan, and it requires about 10 million yuan for annual operation and maintenance. Some companies that attach importance to environmental protection have opened the door to us," Tang Jianzhong said.

- Cooperation in the hospital. In Yancheng Environmental Protection Science and Technology City, the reporter learned that MIT and Tongji University have all set up engineering colleges, mainly to strengthen cooperation with localities. Dai Jianjun, vice president of the Yancheng Environmental Protection Technology and Engineering Research Institute of Nanjing University, told the reporter that given the extreme complexity of wastewater in the chemical park, they proposed a "third-generation technology management model." Through the output technology team, they have been Lianyungang Banqiao. Nearly 10 industrial parks in northern Jiangsu provide sewage treatment services.

“In the daily supervision process, we noticed that some third-party companies over-profited and neglected the public interest, and then repurchased the sewage treatment plant in the chemical park. Currently, Nanjing University is responsible for providing formula and output scientific and technological personnel, and the park is responsible for the operation. The debugging effect is better," said Wei Huaiyu, Lianyungang City Environmental Protection Bureau chief.

- Government-enterprise cooperation. In the central control system of Jinzhao Water Co., Ltd., which was introduced in Lianyungang, the reporter saw signal lights at important water inlets. Li Qingxin, deputy general manager of the company, said that which node encountered illegal sewage, the system will automatically issue an early warning signal, and pollution control costs savings of about 10% compared with government operations.

Wei Huaiyu said that since March this year, the Environmental Protection Bureau of Lianyungang City has continuously explored waste water and waste gas treatment in accordance with the requirements of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, and this year has been regarded as the third year of reform for governance. Huang Yihe, chief engineer of the Environmental Protection Bureau of Lianyungang City, said that in the case of sewage treatment, in the past, basically the sewage companies were dealing with the sewage themselves, and the phenomenon of stealing and draining occurred frequently. Now employ a third party to build and operate, many have become the government's "third eye."

"Three Hardships" Like Three Blockers

Although environmental third-party governance is gradually advancing, its development is still in its infancy, and some deep-seated conflicts and problems need to be addressed and resolved.

Pollution control mechanism to straighten out difficulties. A source of desulfurization and denitrification equipment and operators said that sales volume increased nearly three times year-on-year in the first half of this year, but 90% of them were not operating normally. “In order to save electricity bills, a power plant in Jilin often shuts down equipment that should be operating around the clock at night, causing rapid equipment damage and poor pollution control. Our products, like married 'daughters’, have encountered such treatment and have also affected the reputation. Sadly, the reason is mainly because there is a problem with the pollution control mechanism." An environmental protection company official said that some polluting companies think that it is my money, and I think what happens.

Zhang Kaiyuan, chairman of the State Power Fresh, said that in the “who is polluting and who pays” mechanism, third-party governance companies have not really become market players. For example, in the case of flue gas desulphurization, the power plant can receive a subsidy of 1 cent per kilowatt-hour. This policy is set by the country and the cost is paid by the electricity users. In actual management, because professional environmental protection companies obtain orders from power plants, the status of pollutant discharge parties and pollution control parties is not equal, and some polluters even believe that pollution control parties belong to themselves and affect the effectiveness of third-party governance.