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“The special rectification campaign targeting \"phosphorus-related substances\" will have a profound impact on the phosphate fertilizer industry. Author/Source: China Chemical Industry News; Date: 2019-04-23; Clicks: 43. The special inspection and rectification efforts carried out by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, which involve phosphate mines, phosphate fertilizers, and the production of phosphorus-containing pesticides – activities that affect enterprises in the phosphorus chemical industry as well as phosphate gypsum storage facilities – will have a significant impact on China’s phosphate fertilizer industry in the coming one to two years. How to integrate with the sustainable development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and establish a new pattern of harmonious development with the environment is an important issue that the industry urgently needs to address. This is information obtained by reporters from the 26th National Annual Conference on Phosphorus Fertilizer Industry held in Kunming on April 17. Qin Yanwen, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Environmental Sciences, said that total phosphorus has become the primary pollutant in the Yangtze River basin at present, and the issue of the \"three phosphorus compounds\" is a key factor contributing to total phosphorus pollution in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. The phosphorus chemical industry in the Yangtze River basin, centered around phosphate mining, is highly developed. Of the 213 phosphate fertilizer production enterprises above a certain scale across the country, 199 are located in the Yangtze River Basin. The combined output of phosphate fertilizers from Hubei, Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan accounts for 80% of the total national output. Qin Yanwen pointed out that some small enterprises fail to treat their industrial wastewater properly, and the phosphogypsum storage areas of these enterprises are located near rivers with irregular storage practices, resulting in excessive levels of total phosphorus being released into the environment. This directly affects the water quality of local waters and the soil. Furthermore, the lack of local monitoring and evaluation also constitutes an important factor contributing to excessive phosphorus emissions. Zhou Zhuye, president of the China Phosphorus Fertilizer Industry Association, said that promoting \"joint efforts in comprehensive protection and avoiding large-scale development\" in the Yangtze River Economic Belt is an important task facing the industry at present. Documents such as the \"Guiding Opinions on Strengthening the Green Development of Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt,\" issued in July 2017 by five ministries including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and the \"Three-Year Action Plan for the Campaign to Protect and Restore the Yangtze River,\" released in January 2019 by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and the National Development and Reform Commission, both emphasize the need to focus on improving the ecological and environmental quality of the Yangtze River. They advocate for a dual approach that combines pollution control with ecological protection, and propose the implementation of strict requirements through an ecological and environmental access control system. Zhou Zhuye pointed out that the comprehensive management of \"triphosphorus\" initiatives being carried out by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment is one of the important measures to effectively address the challenges associated with the protection and restoration of the Yangtze River. Focusing on provinces such as Hubei, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Hunan, and Chongqing, this initiative carries out targeted inspections and rectification efforts related to the \"three phosphorus\" sectors, including phosphorus ore mines, phosphate fertilizer and phosphorus-containing pesticide manufacturing plants, as well as phosphogypsum storage facilities. For enterprises and parks in the phosphate chemical industry, particular attention is paid to initial rainwater as well as phosphorus recovery during phosphate production; for phosphate gypsum storage facilities, emphasis is placed on standardized construction and management as well as comprehensive utilization. “The overall requirement is that by the first half of 2019, the relevant provinces shall complete the inspections, formulate preliminary rectification plans, and carry out the necessary rectifications; by the end of 2020, supervision and evaluation of the progress of these inspections and rectifications shall be conducted, and based on the results of such evaluation, customized treatment measures specific to each enterprise shall be implemented. ”Zhou Zhuye spoke. Zhou Zhuye emphasized that in terms of phosphate fertilizer production, on the upstream side, with efforts to improve safety in mining operations and restrictions on phosphate rock extraction in environmental protection areas, some phosphate rocks that do not meet the required standards will be shut down permanently, leading to a tighter supply of ore. On the downstream side, as the policy of determining production based on the demand for phosphogypsum is implemented in an increasing number of areas, production pressures will also rise sharply. The tightening of these policies at both the beginning and the end will have a significant impact on the production and supply of phosphate fertilizers. Effectively recovering phosphorus, accelerating the comprehensive utilization of phosphogypsum, and establishing a new development model that is in harmony with the environment are important issues that the phosphate fertilizer industry urgently needs to address.