Hundreds of industrial production facilities have been ordered to shut down for 14 days, as China tries to clean up the air for the upcoming G20 summit.
An official document from the Shanghai Environment Protection Bureau said the goal is to ensure the air quality during the G20 meeting, which will host world leaders including U.S. President Barack Obama in the first week of September in nearby Hangzhou.
The shutdown period will be Aug. 24 through Sep. 6. The Shanghai government plans to conduct monthly inspections starting July 1 to ensure “the measures are implemented.”
The document listed 255 companies, including these plastics firms and their facilities:
• Huayi Polymer Co. Ltd.: to shutdown ABS production and R&D facilities.
• Lanxess Chemicals (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.: to reduce production of two pigment products by 30 percent.
• Shanghai Pret Composites Co. Ltd.: to shutdown polymerization production. No impact on extrusion and drying operations.
• Shanghai Huide Chemical Co. Ltd.: to cut polyurethane production by 30 percent.
• Shanghai Hiend Polyurethane Inc.: to reduce or suspend production.
• Dainichiseika (Shanghai) Chemical Co. Ltd.: to shut down two polyurethane production lines.
• KPIC Dawn Polymer (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.: to shut down five out of eight production lines.
• Shanghai Bluestar POM Co. Ltd.: to halt acetal production.
• Shanghai Nanchen Plastics Co. Ltd.: to shut down completely.
• Shanghai Yuyan Furniture Products Co. Ltd.: to shut down completely.
As well, Zhejiang province has ordered companies in 11 cities to halt production Aug. 26 through Sep. 6.
Ningbo Zhetie Daphoon Chemical Co. Ltd., for example, will have to shut down its 100,000-metric-ton-per-year polycarbonate production facility. It's China's first non-phosgene PC facility.