The Shanghai Jiangqiao Solid Waste Incineration Plant, the country's largest such unit, was officially put into use yesterday.

Located in suburban Jiading District and covering 35,000 square meters, the plant has so far cost 750 million yuan (US$90 million), according to the Shanghai Public Sanitation Bureau.

It will burn up to 330,000 tons of household garbage every year, producing some 80 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, officials said. They also said the plant's capacity will be expanded.

Garbage sent to the plant will be weighed, unloaded and incinerated. Residual heat emitted by the three incinerators will pass into two sets of turbines to generate electricity.

The plant will use gas-cleaning technologies, including active carbon absorption and air filters, to eliminate poisonous air pollutants, especially dioxins, produced during the incineration.

"Compared with the traditional ways, incineration is a good method to recycle daily household waste with less hazard posed to the environment," said Tao Yuan, a bureau official.

Before the new plant was put into operation, 70 percent of the city's garbage was buried in Laogang, suburban Nanhui District. Some 20 percent was burned in an incineration plant in Pudong, with the remaining 10 percent being treated with chemicals.

"Burying trash without treatment, though less costly, can pollute the waterways and hence is not suitable for coastal cities like Shanghai", Tao said.

Edited by Chief editor Li Guixiang.

(Source: Shanghai Daily news)