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Full text of the \"Environmental Impact Assessment Report for Guoneng Yulin Chemical Co., Ltd.’s 200,000 tons/year polylactic acid project\" (draft for public comment) – Author/Source: Coal Chemical Industry Information Network. Date: May 10, 2023. Views: 19. On May 6, 2023, the full text of the \"Environmental Impact Assessment Report for Guoneng Yulin Chemical Co., Ltd.’s 200,000 tons/year polylactic acid project\" (draft for public comment) was made available to the public. The public notice period is from May 6, 2023, to May 18, 2023 (10 working days). Background of the project: In order to thoroughly implement the guidelines issued by **** at the 10th meeting of the Central Committee for Deep Reforms regarding the need to actively address plastic pollution and promote the use of alternative products that are recyclable, reusable, and biodegradable, the group company attaches great importance to the development and application of biodegradable materials. A specialized task force for the development of such materials has been established. Building on the pilot projects related to the major initiative \"Technological Innovation 2030 – Research on the industrial production and modified applications of biodegradable plastic polyglycolic acid (PGA)\", efforts are being accelerated to develop industrial demonstration facilities. On September 13, 2021, **** visited the Yulin Chemical Plant of the group company and delivered an important speech. ****It is emphasized that, as the main energy source in our country, coal should develop in a green and low-carbon manner, striving to meet the goals of carbon peak and carbon neutrality. Taking into account national conditions, it is necessary to control the total amount of coal used, ensure a minimum standard is met, and gradually reduce its use through orderly substitution, thereby promoting the transformation and upgrading of coal consumption. The coal chemical industry holds great potential and a bright future. It is necessary to improve the comprehensive utilization efficiency of coal as a raw material for chemical production, and to promote the high-end, diversified, and low-carbon development of this industry. Strengthening technological innovation should be regarded as the most urgent task, with efforts focused on advancing key core technologies. At the same time, there should be active development of coal-based specialty fuels and coal-based biodegradable materials. To thoroughly implement the spirit of ****’s important speech, **Energy Group has decided to promote the development of the biodegradable plastics industry. Building on the existing 50,000 tons per year polylactic acid demonstration project, it is increasing investment to advance the planning and construction of the 200,000 tons per year polylactic acid project at Yulin Chemical Industry. The construction of this project will make a positive contribution to promoting the high-end, diversified, and low-carbon development of the group’s coal chemical industry. This project uses coal-based methanol and syngas as raw materials to produce high-value, biodegradable materials. It helps to diversify the product range of the group company’s coal chemical industry, improve the overall efficiency of utilizing coal as a chemical feedstock, optimize the product structure, and enhance the company’s profitability, thereby aligning with the group company’s development strategy. At the same time, the successful implementation of this project will also drive the technological development and industrial demonstration of clean and efficient utilization of coal to produce high-value-added products, thereby facilitating the transformation, upgrading, diversification, and high-quality development of the group’s coal chemical industry. Basic Information of the Project ⑴ Project Name: Guoneng Yulin Chemical Co., Ltd. 200,000 tons/year Polyglycolic Acid Project ⑵ Developer: Guoneng Yulin Chemical Co., Ltd. ⑶ Nature of Construction: New construction ⑷ Location: North Area of Qingshui Coal Chemical Industrial Park, Yushen Industrial Zone, Yulin City, Shaanxi Province; the south side is adjacent to the north area of the 50,000 tons/year polyglycolic acid project under construction at Yulin Chemical. ⑸ Construction Scale: 200,000 tons/year of polyglycolic acid (PGA) ⑹ Scope of Construction: It includes a formaldehyde unit, a methyl acetal unit, a methyl acetal carbonylation unit, a methyl methoxyacetate hydrolysis unit, a prepolymerization unit, a cyclization unit, a purification unit, a polymerization and shaping unit, a packaging unit, as well as supporting facilities such as substations, intermediate tank areas, finished product and packaging warehouses, freezing stations, heat transfer oil stations, circulating water stations, on-site control rooms, plant substations, initial rainwater ponds, chemical storage areas, solvent unloading facilities, and overall plant systems. ⑺ Land area: The total land area of the project is 53.26 hm2. ⑻ Total investment in the project: 7,241,076.4 thousand yuan. ⑼ Operating schedule: 333 days of operation per year, 8,000 hours per year. List of product solutions: http://img.yf116.cn/image/img/20230510/1416425140251.jpg Process analysis: Shenhua Yulin Energy and Chemical Co., Ltd. plans to build a 200,000-ton/year polylactic acid demonstration project in the northern area of the Qingshui Coal Chemistry Industrial Park within the Yushen Industrial Zone in Yulin City. By making full use of the resources, auxiliary facilities, production management systems, and administrative and living facilities available from the first phase of Shenhua Yulin’s circular economy coal utilization project (“SYCTC-1 Project”) as well as Shenhua Shaanxi’s methanol downstream processing project (“SSMTO Project”), this company will employ the new polylactic acid synthesis technology developed by Shanghai Pujing Chemical Technology Co., Ltd. to produce polylactic acid (PGA), with an annual production capacity of 200,000 tons of PGA. The synthesis method of polyglycolic acid (PGA) involves the ring-opening polymerization of lactide. Methyl glycolate is first condensed to produce glycolic acid oligomers, which are then heated and depolymerized to yield lactide. Through the ring-opening polymerization of lactide, a polymer with a higher molecular weight, namely polyglycolic acid, is obtained. The equation for the open-loop polymerization reaction is shown in the image below: http://img.yf116.cn/image/img/20230510/1417455146522.jpg. A 50,000-ton PGA production project has been established. **Shenhua Yulin Energy Chemical Co., Ltd., part of the Energy Group, operates a 50,000-ton/year polyglycolic acid demonstration project that uses crude glycolic acid methyl ester, an intermediate product from the existing ethylene glycol production facility, as raw material. After purification, this glycolic acid methyl ester is mixed with a catalyst in certain proportions, and under specific temperature and pressure conditions, alcohol is removed to produce glycolic acid methyl ester oligomers. Glycolic acid oligomers are depolymerized to produce crude lactide. After being refined and purified, crude glycolide undergoes ring-opening polymerization to yield high-molecular-weight PGA polymer products. The entire PGA production facility consists of a refining unit, a prepolymerization unit, a cyclization unit, a purification unit, a polymerization and molding unit, and a packaging unit. The project has been partially completed but is not yet in operation, so it is classified as a construction in progress.