Regenerated polyester fiber energy-saving emission reduction

China Drying News learned from the China Chemical Fiber Association last week that in the “12th Five-Year Plan” period, China’s chemical fiber industry’s goal of energy saving and emission reduction is a 15% reduction in energy consumption per million yuan, a 20% reduction in water consumption, and a drop in major pollutant emissions. 10%. Among them, vigorously developing the recycled polyester fiber industry will become an important focal point for energy saving and emission reduction in the chemical fiber industry. By 2015, it will gradually establish a recycling economy development model for the chemical fiber industry, recycling used polyester products and chemical fiber clothing. The scale will reach 7 million tons.

“According to relevant authorities, it is estimated that each ton of recycled polyester fiber is equivalent to a reduction of 3.2 tons of CO2.” Zheng Junlin, secretary-general of the China Chemical Fiber Association, told reporters last year, China’s total output of chemical fiber was about 38 million tons, including recycled fiber output. Nearly 5 million tons. "The output of 5 million tons means a reduction of 16 million tons of CO2. This figure is very impressive," he said.

According to Lin Shidong, secretary-general of the Chemical Fiber Association’s Professional Committee on Regenerated Chemical Fibers, China’s natural fiber production is about 7 million tons per year. Due to reasons such as grain and cotton disputes, there is little room for growth of natural fibers in the future, and the growth of market demand can only be satisfied by the increase in the output of synthetic fibers. The main raw material of synthetic fibers is fossil resources such as oil. Under the background of rising crude oil prices, how to reduce dependence on fossil resources has become an important issue for the sustainable development of the industry. At the same time, the environmental problems caused by various waste polyester products in China have become increasingly prominent. Therefore, vigorously developing the recycled polyester fiber industry is an effective way to reduce pollution and make full use of resources.

However, Zheng Junlin told reporters that although China's recycled polyester fiber industry has reached a certain scale, there are still many problems that restrict the sustainable development of industrial resources recycling and recycling economy.

"The domestic raw material recovery system is not sound enough and is the top issue facing the industry," said Zheng Junlin. This reporter learned that at present, most of China's recycled polyester fiber enterprises use waste polyester packaging materials as raw materials, such as polyester bottles and polyester films. “Recycling bottles are filled with water and are relatively clean; some contain beverages containing sugar, and others are filled with oil, which all require cleaning. The recycling system in our country is still not perfect. Most of them are collected by small traders and are not classified. The recycling companies need to pick one, separate the sugary, oily, and filled water, and then clean it, which adds a lot of labor costs.” Zheng Junlin said.

In addition, the domestic supply of used bottles and tablets is not enough, and it needs a lot of imports. Especially in recent years, with the rapid growth of the production capacity of recycled fibers, China’s dependence on imported bottle materials has been increasing year by year and it has now reached 40%.

It is worth noting that, apart from using polyester packaging materials as raw materials, the use of textiles such as used clothing to produce recycled fibers through chemical methods is making a breakthrough in our country. In August last year, Teijin Corporation of Japan and Seiko Holding Group signed a cooperation agreement to establish Zhejiang Chemicals New Material Co., Ltd., a joint venture of chemical recycling in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, with a total investment of 6 billion yen (approximately 484 million yuan). In the first phase, it is planned to annually produce 20,000 tons of recycled dimethyl terephthalate (DMT), with an annual output of 19,000 tons of recycled polyester fiber; thereafter, according to market demand, the second phase will build an annual output of 50,000 tons of DMT.

According to reports, chemical recycling is the use of chemical methods to decompose fabrics to the molecular level and reuse them. "The Teijin's technology is to try to produce recycled fibers from waste polyester clothes. In Japan, there have been pilot-scale installations. It was limited to raw materials and market issues, and there was no large-scale industrial production. This time we promote corporate cooperation. Achieve this breakthrough." Zheng Junlin told reporters.

This reporter learned that the company plans to use the military uniforms and school uniforms with relatively simple recycling procedures to produce raw materials at the initial stage. At present, the construction of the plant is in progress and it is scheduled to be put into operation by the end of 2013.

In addition to raw material issues, China lacks corresponding policy guidance and support for the recycled polyester fiber industry, and is also one of the issues faced by the industry. According to Lin Shidong, the recycled fiber industry has been developed spontaneously by the people. The enthusiasm of the enterprise comes mainly from the expectation of the market. The lack of market development in the market makes it difficult for enterprises to form large-scale production, which is not conducive to product development and market development.

Zheng Junlin stated that the recycled fiber companies need to support some specific tax policies. He gave an example to reporters: "Many small waste recycling companies do not have value-added tax votes, resulting in renewable companies can not deduct the value-added tax of raw materials, to bear all the value-added tax of 17%, this burden is very heavy."

In addition, the concept of domestic consumption of recycled products has yet to be improved. “In Europe and the United States and other regions, consumers wear recycled fiber clothing and promote environmental protection concepts. It is a very glorious thing. But in China, consumers do not recognize it. Some people even think that these clothes are made from waste. Therefore, It requires the media and industry to work together to strengthen publicity and guidance and gradually establish the concept of green consumption, said Zheng Junlin.

According to reports, last year, the China Chemical Fiber Association adjusted and upgraded the chemical fiber industry's renewable and recycling economy industrial technology innovation alliance. At present, there are more than 40 key enterprises and research institutes for regenerated fiber, and they must focus on addressing the common characteristics of the recycled fiber industry. Technical problems, on the other hand, work together through the industry and strive for policy support to guide green consumption.

"To promote the use of recycled polyester fiber is the most important thing in the energy-saving and emission reduction of the chemical fiber industry in the next few years. We will continue to strengthen the research and development of technology and products, open up the terminal market, and make the recycling industry grow and develop." Zheng Junlin said.