Papermaker Zhanjiang Chenming Pulp & Paper has invested 3 billion yuan ($449.6 million) to build a green and eco-friendly papermaking base in the coastal city.

Papermaking is an industry often associated with high levels of pollution and high energy consumption.

Established in 2011, Chenming's papermaking base has made distinct efforts to reduce this image.

In early 2017, the company plowed 5 million yuan into introducing a cutting-edge combustion system to eliminate bad smells and recycle gases. This system effectively solves the problem of waste gas, according to Qiu Guangqi, director of the environmental protection department at Zhanjiang Chenming Pulp & Paper.

The waste water treatment plant at Zhanjiang Chenming Pulp & Paper allows the company to be more eco-friendly. [Photo by Li Zhong/zhanjiang.gov.cn]

The company has also attached great importance to its waste water and gas treatment facilities by constructing a recycling economic system featuring "resources-products-renewable resources" – to make the most use of waste produced.

To achieve this goal, the company invested 180 million yuan in constructing a gasifier to transform the pollution sources, such as processed bark and wood chips, into energy sources through the process of oxygen-deficient combustion.

The combustible gases, including carbon monoxide and methane, replace traditional heavy oil as fuels, eliminating harmful gases incurred by using heavy oil.

"Chenming has taken active efforts to achieve win-win results in both economic development and environmental protection, highlighting the circular economy pattern to create an eco-friendly paper making base," said an official at the company.

The papermaking plant of Zhanjiang Chenming Pulp & Paper is the largest in the world. [Photo by Li Zhong/zhanjiang.gov.cn]

Zhanjiang Chenming Pulp & Paper is the largest pulp papermaking base in the world, attracting a total investment of 26.5 billion yuan.

Having both large scale culture paper and white cardboard production lines, the company's annual output value is 15 billion yuan – a standout in Zhanjiang's private sector.

Huge spools of paper are stored ready for cutting and packaging at Zhanjiang Chenming Pulp & Paper. [Photo by Li Zhong/zhanjiang.gov.cn]