China to build major garbage power plant in the East
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-01-14 10:20

JINAN, January 13 (Xinhua) -- The construction of a large-sized garbage power plant, capable of generating 200 million kwh of electricity per year, has started in Linyi City, east China's Shandong Province.

With an investment of 238 million yuan (30 million US dollars), the project will be able to process 400 tons garbage and produce 75 tons of steam per hour as part of the city's heating sources in the winter.

The yearly garbage processing ability will reach 300,000 tons after its completion in October, said Xu Qinxiang, director of the project.

By the time the project is completed, the city will stop the traditional garbage-burying operation. Instead, garbage will be collected by sanitation workers and sent to the power plant, where the useful materials such as metal and plastic will be recycled, while the remaining will be leavened and dehydrated before it can be burned.

Heat produced from burning two tons of garbage equals that of one ton of coal and the after-burning residua can be used to make brick, cement and other building materials, according to Xu.