The relevant person in charge of the Solid Waste and Chemicals Department of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment answered reporters' questions on the "Technical Specifications for Manganese Slag Pollution Control"
Recently, the "Technical Specification for Manganese Slag Pollution Control" (HJ1241-2022) (hereinafter referred to as the "Technical Specification") was released. The person in charge of the Solid Waste and Chemicals Department of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment answered questions from reporters regarding the background and main content of the formulation of the Technical Specifications.
Q: What is the background of the formulation of the Technical Specifications?
A：China is a major producer of electrolytic manganese metal, electrolytic manganese dioxide, and high-purity manganese sulfate globally, with electrolytic manganese production capacity accounting for 97% of the total global production capacity. The average grade of manganese ore in China is only about 12%. Producing 1 ton of metallic manganese produces 8-10 tons of manganese slag, and the country adds over 10 million tons of manganese slag every year. The manganese slag contains a large amount of soluble salt compounds such as manganese sulfate and ammonium sulfate, as well as free heavy metal ions such as zinc, nickel, and cobalt. The composition is complex and easy to diffuse into the environment, causing pollution. The environmental pollution caused by manganese slag has become one of the core issues restricting the high-quality development of the manganese industry.
In order to implement the newly revised "Solid Waste Pollution Prevention and Control Law of the People's Republic of China" and further strengthen the pollution prevention and control of manganese slag collection, storage, transportation, pretreatment, utilization, filling, backfilling, and landfill processes, our department has organized the formulation of the "Technical Specifications" and put forward a series of requirements for strengthening the pollution prevention and control of manganese slag throughout the entire process, providing strong technical guidance for environmental management work in related fields. The formulation of the "Technical Specifications" is an inevitable requirement for improving the environmental management standard system of the manganese industry, strengthening pollution prevention and control in regions such as the "Manganese Triangle", and solving prominent environmental problems that harm public health. It is also a specific measure to fully play the leading and optimizing role of ecological environment protection and promote the green and healthy development of the manganese industry.
Q: What is the scope of application of the Technical Specifications?
A：《The Technical Specification is applicable to the pollution control of newly generated manganese slag during the collection, storage, transportation, pretreatment, utilization, filling, backfilling, and landfill processes after the implementation of the standard. It can serve as a technical reference for environmental impact assessment, environmental protection facility design, completion environmental protection acceptance, pollutant discharge permit management, clean production audit, and other construction projects related to the pretreatment, utilization, filling, backfilling, and landfill of manganese slag. The pollution control during the utilization, filling, and backfilling of manganese slag before the implementation of this standard also applies to this standard.
Q: What are the main contents of the Technical Specifications?
A：The Technical Specification specifies the overall requirements for pollution control of manganese slag, and specifies the pollution control technical requirements, monitoring requirements, and environmental management requirements for the collection, storage, transportation, pretreatment, utilization, filling, backfilling, and landfill processes of manganese slag according to the treatment process and final destination after its generation.
To ensure the environmental safety of manganese slag utilization products and prevent environmental risks during manganese slag utilization, this standard also proposes monitoring requirements for toxic and harmful substances in cement and other building materials products produced using manganese slag and its pre-treatment products.
The environmental management requirements mainly regulate the operation and management of manganese slag collection, storage, pretreatment, utilization, filling, backfilling, and landfill units from the aspects of management system, management ledger, personnel training, environmental emergency response, and data preservation.
Q: What are the main considerations for manganese slag pretreatment requirements specifically proposed in the Technical Specifications?
A：According to the characteristics of the production processes of electrolytic manganese metal, electrolytic manganese dioxide, and high-purity manganese sulfate, the content of water-soluble salt compounds in manganese slag is relatively high, generally exceeding 5% of the entry requirements for Class II sites in the "General Industrial Solid Waste Storage and Landfill Pollution Control Standards" (GB 18599-2020). In order to control the environmental risks of manganese slag, the "Technical Specification" proposes requirements for manganese slag pretreatment to reduce or remove pollutants such as heavy metals and water-soluble salts in manganese slag, or to suppress its leachability or diffusivity, so that the pretreated manganese slag meets the requirements for utilization, filling, backfilling, and landfilling. Pre treatment methods include water washing, solidification stabilization, and high-temperature sintering or melting.
According to the different destinations of manganese slag, the "Technical Specifications" make specific provisions on whether manganese slag needs to be pretreated: firstly, manganese slag as a mixed material for producing cement is expected to meet the waste characteristics requirements of HJ 662 for substitute mixed materials, and manganese slag that does not meet the requirements should be pretreated first; Secondly, manganese slag should be pre treated before it can be used as a substitute raw material for the production of building materials other than cement; Thirdly, manganese slag should be pre treated before it can be used for filling or backfilling; Fourthly, manganese slag must meet the entry requirements specified in GB 18599 before it can be landfilled. Manganese slag that does not meet the entry requirements should first undergo pretreatment to meet the entry requirements.
Technical Specification for Manganese Slag Pollution Control Standard No. HJ 1241-2022 Original Link
