gotta get out
Posted by wangbo in Environment, life in Beijing on July 29, 2008
This morning’s wind and rain seem to have cleared the air so much I’ve just got to get out on my bike and enjoy it.
one man’s trash…
Posted by wangbo in Chinese study, Environment, news on July 29, 2008
….is another man’s power plant. 新京报/The Beijing News’ Du Ding reports on the test run of Beijing’s first trash power station:
垃圾焚烧厂点火试运行
Trash burning plant ignites for a test run
位于高安屯系北京首座，火力可发电炉渣可制砖
Situated in Gaoantun, Beijing’s first such station. Thermal electricity generator’s cinders can be used to make bricks
Hmmm…. need to polish that subtitle.
昨天，北京第一座垃圾焚烧发电厂———高安屯生活垃圾焚烧发电厂点火试运行。今后，家庭产生的生活垃圾在此焚烧后，产生的炉渣将可制作成砖头。而该焚烧发电厂的启用也解决了生活垃圾在填埋过程中产生的臭味等环境问题。
Yesterday Beijing’s first trash-fired power plant- Gaoantun Domestic Trash-Fired Power Plant ignited for a test run. From now on, after domestic rubbish produced by households is burnt here, the cinders produced will be able to be made into bricks. Also, the commission of this thermal power plant will resolve environmental problems such as the foul smell produced in the process of burying domestic trash.
“炉渣砖头”不用于民宅
“Cinder bricks” not to be used in homes
高安屯垃圾焚烧发电厂每年将焚烧53.3万吨垃圾。据高安屯垃圾焚烧发电厂顾问总工程师刘申伯介绍，垃圾运到厂里后，将不再分类，直接进行焚 烧。焚烧后，垃圾产生的炉渣约占垃圾总重量20%，每年约有12万吨，这些炉渣将被制作成砖头，“一般不用在民宅上，而是用在城市道路和防护堤坝上。”
The Gaoantun trash-fired power plant will burn 533 thousand tons of trash each year. According to the chief consulting engineer of Gaoantun trash-fired power plant Liu Shenbo, after trash is transported to the plant, it will not be sorted a second time, but burnt directly. After burning, the cinders will weigh 20% of the total weight of the trash. There will be 120 thousand tons per year, and these cinders will be made into bricks, “Generally they won’t be used in homes, but will be used for paving city roads or in flood defences.
另外，焚烧垃圾每年产生的1.4万吨飞灰，将按国家关于危险废物的政策法规要求进行处理，并烧制成陶粒，作为建筑材料。
In addition, the 140 thousand tons of loose ash produced each year by burning rubbish will be handled according to the state policy and regulations on hazardous waste and will be burnt to produce ceramsite for use as building materials.
解决垃圾臭味扩散问题
Resolving the problem of the spread of foul trash odours
高安屯生活垃圾焚烧发电厂位于朝阳区金盏乡，之前作为垃圾卫生填埋场，每天1600吨的垃圾在填埋过程中产生恶臭、地下水污染等问题。位于高安屯垃圾场下风向的天赐良园小区居民经常反映能闻到一股刺鼻的臭味。
The Gaoantun domestic trash-fired power plant is located in Chaoyang District’s Jinzhan Village, which was previously a garbage-disposal landfill. Every year 1600 tons of trash produced a foul smell, ground water pollution, and other problems in the burial process. The residents of the Tianciliangyuan estate located downwind of the Gaoantun landfill often reported being able to smell a foul, nose-irritating stench.
对此，高安屯生活垃圾焚烧发电厂工作人员表示，焚烧是目前先进国家通行的垃圾处理方式，解决了垃圾坑臭味外溢的问题。同时，在卸垃圾过程中，采用进口空气幕，解决了卸料过程的垃圾臭味扩散。
To this a worker of the Gaoantun domestic trash-fired power plant said burning is currently an advanced, State-licensed method of handling trash and would resolve the problem of foul smells leaking out of the trash pit. At the same time, in the process of unloading trash, an imported air-curtain would be used to prevent the spread of the foul smell of the trash as it is being unloaded.
解决朝阳一半垃圾处理
To solve half of Chaoyang’s trash handling
据了解，该垃圾焚烧发电厂运行后，可为朝阳区200多万城市人口提供环境卫生服务，解决朝阳区一半的垃圾处理问题。
It is understood that when this trash-fired power plant is in operation, it will be able to provide environmental sanitation services to over two million of Chaoyang District’s residents and resolve half of Chaoyang District’s trash handling problems.
I know what you’re asking, and reading all that the same question was just itching to burst out of my mouth:
What about emissions?!?!?
There is, of course, an answer:
居民担心垃圾燃烧尾气危害健康，厂方表示
Residents are concerned emissions from burning trash will harm their health, plant says
垃圾燃烧尾气符合国家标准
Trash burning emissions in accordance national standards
高安屯附近万象新天小区居民陈先生称，以往，高安屯垃圾填埋场发出的臭味给周边居民带来影响，特别是一到夏天，臭味的浓度和范围都在扩大。现 在，高安屯生活垃圾焚烧厂点火试运行，臭味可能会减少，但又开始担心垃圾燃烧产生的新气体是否符合环保要求，会不会危害居民的健康？
Mr Chen, a resident of the Wanxiangxintian estate nearby Gaoantun, said that in the past the Gaoantun landfill emitted a foul smell affecting surrounding residents, and especially in the summer the strength and scope of the foul smell would increase. Now that the Gaoantun domestic trash-fired power plant has ignited for a test run, the foul smell might be reduced, but he’s now worried whether the gases produced by burning the trash meet environmental protection requirements and whether they will harm resident’s health?
对此，高安屯垃圾焚烧发电厂顾问总工程师刘申伯表示，垃圾焚烧系统采用适合中国垃圾特点的炉排炉焚烧技术，先进的供风系统和自动燃烧控制装置，还有尾气净化系统，可以确保尾气排放符合国家和地方的相关标准。
To this, the chief consulting engineer of Gaoantun trash-fired power plant Liu Shenbo said the trash burning system uses [combustion technology suitable to the special characteristics of Chinese rubbish], an advanced fan system and automatic combustion control equipment and an emissions purifying system, and can guarantee that the emissions will meet the relevant national and local standards.
All right, that bit in [square brackets] I really have no idea what it’s about. What the hell is the particular technology involved? Is he really talking about the special characteristics of Chinese trash? Or is this something more sensible than that? Help!
Anyway, I decided to check where Gaoantun is, and google ditu’ed it. First result gave me a wtf? Yup, that A is at Beichen, not far from where a friend of mine used to live, very close to the Bird’s nest, in an area I’ve visited many times and which I could’ve sworn there was no landfill at all. Then I looked closer and realised the address must be for the company headquarters. No, perhaps this map gives a better idea of the location. Look for the ‘D’ just above centre.
So the company headquarters is a long way from the plant itself…..
Well, I hope this article is for real and isn’t just a puff-piece. Yeah, I know.
Just an aside: Lately nciku has been working really well for me. I don’t know if it’s because they finally solved the problem they had connecting with university networks or if it’s because with all the students off home for the summer holiday or being too busy with their Olympic volunteer work to clog up the BeiGongDa system. Whatever, I’m liking this situation and I hope it continues after September 20.
wind is good
Posted by wangbo in Environment, life in Beijing on July 29, 2008
Agh, finally!
Well, it wasn’t the best of sights to see looking out the window this morning. The forecast on CCTV 1 last night said thunder storms. That would’ve been better. But still, waking up to see a good, decent breeze had come through to clear out that sticky, horrible mass of humid muck that has been smothering Beijing for the last week or so (gotta love Imagethief’s description: acid fog. Indeed, I think that should become the proper term for such weather).
There’s still a solid blanket of high cloud, but the air is noticeably clearer. Hopefully this weather will hold-or even better, bring some rain- and we might actually get a look at how the odds/evens traffic restrictions can cut air pollution. I mean, I don’t doubt that the advent of that rule cut the amount of pollution being produced, but there were still vehicles running producing pollution and the last week’s acid fog trapped everything. Hopefully this breeze has wiped the slate clean and will enable us to get a good look at how effective the traffic restrictions can be.
a little wander round
Posted by wangbo in life in Beijing on July 28, 2008
Just had lunch with colleague T at his favourite local Muslim restaurant. It’s an interesting little place at Pandaomiao (潘道庙) just across from the northeast corner of our campus. We got an outside table, food and a couple of beers that we asked to be ice cold, but which were not far off room temperature. The restaurant is up a little side street just off the northeast corner of the campus, and I happened to notice several Passats, most of them black, of course, with some colourful logo on the rear passenger door, driving round the side of the campus towards the east gate. Must be something to do with the Olympic badminton or rhythmic gymnastics, which are both being held in a brand-new gymnasium on the southeast corner of our campus.
Well, we’d finished, and I said I want to cruise round the edge of the campus and see what is to be seen. So T went his way, and I headed down that oddly-angled northeastern side of campus to the Fourth Ring, then down to Sifang Qiao, thence east along the south side of the campus, then north up Xidawang Lu towards home. Wasn’t quite a complete circumnavigation, but then it didn’t need to be. All I wanted to see was the new Olympic developments, see how they look 11 days out from the games.
Only 11 days?! shit…..
Anyways, after lunch I jumped on my bike and trundled off. Just southeast of the east gate whatever was there before had been knocked down and made into a rather make-shift looking buspark- and there were several buses of varying quality already parked there- and that seemed to open in to the various sports grounds that have sprouted on that corner of the campus. Make-shift looking, but what do you expect? It’s only going to be in use for a month or so, then converted to something more permanently useful. Like the petrol station I’m sure was there.
Then down 50-odd metres of the Fourth Ring to Sifangqiao. That stretch was sanitised long ago, but still, it was a pleasant relief to find a new public toilet (which I promptly made use of). Then there was some new police station, very temporary looking, not much of a surprise.
Turning west to head along the south side of campus got me my closest look at the competition venues themselves. Road signs pointing to the BJUT Gymnasium and BJUT Gymnasium Spectators’ Entrance were clear enough, although one was obscured by the road-side trees. Still, anybody driving there would find their way easily enough. Cruising past the spectators’ entrance, I saw all the tents in place ready for the security checks (didn’t go inside, but I presume the equipment is there, fired up, and ready to go) and several People’s Armed Police were already on sentry duty right along the southern boundary of the campus as far as the western edge of the competition area. Note: People’s Armed Police is the name of that particular police force. They are not always armed. I did not see if any of the sentries were bearing firearms. The were certainly not carrying anything obvious like submachineguns or assault rifles, although at least one did have some kind of pouch at his waist which may have contained a pistol, but I could not see for sure and did not want to draw unnecessary attention. I’m sure they had firearms within easy reach, but they were no more geared up for a riot or sudden attack by t3rr0r1sts than they are when they guard government buildings.
I mean, the way some people have been speaking, even in one post on an otherwise intelligent, erudite and well-informed blog, you could be forgiven for thinking the PAP are either regularly armed to the teeth but are toning things down for the Olympics (I haven’t been to the Square for a while, but I have been there many, many times and have yet to see an AK 47 or any firearm inappropriate for the tasks of those guarding the Square, as the author of that post implies is “normal”), or more predictably on the blog of a magazine that somehow earned a good reputation it never deserved, that the city is now swarmed with machinegun toting, trigger-happy PAP. Nothing could be further from the truth. There is obviously increased security, but there is nothing as even remotely sinister or intimidating as either of those wankers suggests.
Anyways, where was I…. Oh, yes, cruising round the campus. Well, I passed the southeastern corner where the Olympic events are to be held, and suddenly everything was back to normal. Then on the southwestern corner of the campus I saw that the new hotel (supposed to be 4-star, from what I’ve heard) looked pretty much finished. Turn the corner and head northwards along the west side, and as I suspected, a new gate has been put in just north of the hotel. Only makes sense, I mean you can’t have either hotel guests buggering up traffic for the regular staff and students or staff and students buggering up traffic for the hotel guests. Still, that new gate did look a little rough-and-ready. Then back to normal again.
Conclusion based on a cruise around the outside of BeiGongDa: Down here everything looks ready to go. And amazingly normal, considering the way some idiots are ranting. I mean, normal considering the world’s biggest sports event, which obviously requires a hefty amount of security and a hell of a lot of planning, is about to open. Y’know, I’m actually starting to feel almost positive about the whole thing.
Anyway, if you are competing in or have tickets to the Olympic badminton or rhythmic gymnastics, then my quick scan of the outside of your venue suggests everything is ready for you and you have nothing to worry about.
the air thickens….
Posted by wangbo in Environment, news on July 28, 2008
Thanks to Danwei….. China Daily reports on the possibility of even tougher traffic restrictions if the air doesn’t clear up for the Olympics. Two things in this article strike me:
Talking to China Daily over the phone, she said the environment authority would inform the public as early as possible about the details of the plan.
Zhu Tong, an environmentalist, has suggested keeping up to 90 percent private vehicles off the streets during the Games as part of the plan. Only vehicles whose license plate ends with the last digit of the date should be allowed to hit the road, he said.
[my emphasis]
Woho! That is strict! Unfortunately, it’s the kind of thing that could only be done over a short period for very specific circumstances- the Olympics, in other words. The odds/evens rule, though, is something that could (and should and please, please, please) be kept permanently.
And:
The smog yesterday was likely to have been caused by poor weather and emissions both, Du Shaozhong, deputy director of the Beijing environmental protection buearu, told reporters at the Main Press Center for the Games yesterday. Du said tougher plans are ready to safeguard athletes’ health.
Indeed. I do think that in all their whingeing foreign athletes, coaches and journalists are ignoring one important and very large fact: Beijing’s natural conditions. The weather. There’s not a hell of a lot that can be done to clear up the mess of turgid, sticky humidity that often settles over the North China Plain in the summer, trapping all the pollution in the city. What we need is a good, dry wind from the north to clear the air out, and that is beyond the abilities of even China’s weather modifiers to order up.
But I would like to see these super-tough traffic restrictions. They’d make cycling round the city so much fun!
eh? again?
What’s with China Eastern’s boomerang jets? Fast moving thunder storms….
wow
新京报/The Beijing News carries a Xinhua report saying that Anshan city in Liaoning is going to start making high school education free, starting from this autumn.
鞍山推广免费高中教育
Anshan to popularize free high school education
首批7学校，新生全部免除学杂费及50%的课本费
In the first batch of 7 schools all new students will be exempt from miscellaneous fees and 50% of textbook fees
辽宁省鞍山市政府近日宣布，鞍山将从今年秋季学期开始，推出高中阶段的免费教育，首批设立的7所免费高中计划招生3800余人。
Recently the government of Anshan City, Liaoning Province announced that starting from this autumn Anshan will introduce free education at the high school level. The first batch of free high schools plan to enroll over 3800 students.
鞍山市 市长谷春立介绍，设立免费高中，让更多孩子接受高中以上教育，切实减轻学生经济负担，不仅是提高鞍山高水平教育普及率的需要，目的也在于促进教育资源的均 衡化。目前，鞍山已在全市7个县（市、区）各设1所免费的普通高中，招收的新生不仅全部免除学杂费，而且还免除50%的课本费。鞍山市计划在秋季学期招收 3822名免费高中生，每学年免费金额将在200万元左右。
The mayor of Anshan, Gu Chunli, said the establishment of free high schools will allow more children to receive high school or higher education, will practically ease students’ economic burden, and will not only raise the rate of higher education in Anshan, but the goal is also in the promotion of balancing of educational resources. At present, Anshan has already established 1 free ordinary high school in each of 7 counties (cities or districts) throughout the city and is also cutting textbook fees by 50%. Anshan City plans to enroll 3822 students in the free high schools in the autumn semester at a cost of roughly 2 million yuan.
鞍山市教育局基础教育处相关负责人介绍，鞍山将按照省示范性高中的水平，对免费高中加大投入，实施教学环境和教学质量的全面提升。
The relevant person responsible in the basic education office of the Anshan Municipal Bureau of Education said Anshan will comprehensively enhance the educational environment and educational quality in the free high schoolsin accordance with the standard for provincial demonstration high schools.
目前，鞍山市7所免费高中的招生工作已经开始，广大学生报名踊跃。鞍山市教育局负责人表示，鞍山将在试点的基础上，力争用不长的时间实现全市所有公办高中全部实施免费教育。
Currently Anshan City’s 7 free high schools have already begun enrollment work, and numerous students have enthusiastically registered. The person responsible at the Anshan Municipal Bureau of Education said Anshan will, on the basis of the test sites, strive to implement free education at all public high schools in a short time.
Oh bloody hell, I screwed so much of that up, especially the second and third paragraphs. Help and corrections will be greatly appreciated.
Anyway, clearly no high school education in Anshan is going to be entirely free, as the students- or more likely their parents will still have to pay half of the textbook fees, but even so this is a positive move, and it’s good to see one of the rust-belt cities actively working to improve the quality of its future labour force.
It’s a pity so few people understand that education is never a private good but always a public investment in the future of the whole society. It’s good to see a city where the officials do understand this.
of all the stories
Posted by wangbo in news, tilting at windmills on July 26, 2008
Of all the New Zealand stories to make the headlines in the Chinese press, it would have to be this one, wouldn’t it? Note to Xinhua and The Beijing News: AUSA has withdrawn the bounty. And besides, aren’t the kidnapping of Cina Ma and the recent spate of crimes in South Auckland apparently targetting Asians more important stories?
oh shit
The only good thing I can see in this article is that the claims, as reported, seem rather overblown. It reads more like some wannabe claiming other people’s acts in the t3rro0r1st version of a peacock strutting around fanning his tail feathers. Either that or its creative writing from this IntelCenter crowd. Never heard of them before.
Wikipedia seems to suggest that maybe some doubt has been cast on some of IntelCenter’s videos. Googling Ben N. Venzke, CEO of IntelCenter, turns up this rather spartan page with links to three singularly uninformative pages. At least one of them is mildly entertaining, though.
more good news
Posted by wangbo in Environment, news on July 24, 2008
I don’t have time to translate this whole piece in 新京报/The Beijing News. It’s got far too much political fluffle, for starters, and I’m meeting a colleague for lunch soon. But there is one sentence here I really like the look of:
对节能环保型汽车要实行消费税优惠政策，提高大排量汽车消费税率。
Implement a preferential policy on consumption tax for energy saving, environmentally friendly cars, raise the rate of consumption tax on high emissions car.
Now, I’m getting hungry and I don’t have a lot of time, and so I could well be chronically misinterpreting that sentence or overlooking some important detail in the rest of the article, but if I read that sentence rightly, that is one collossal step forward.
Oh, and I should add that that article is not about cars specifically, but about saving oil and electricity in general. Such things as aircon and lighting also get a mention. Makes one suspect there’s a lot of truth in certain reports (thanks Danwei). But even if there is enough coal, energy efficiency is still the only smart way to go.