China builds modules for world's 1st all-in-one waste treatment plant

All construction modules for the world's first integrated waste management facility were completed and delivered in Zhuhai City, Guangdong Province, on Wednesday, according to the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC).

A total of 17 key modules are prepared for Phase 1 of Hong Kong's Integrated Waste Management Facilities, located on a 16-hectare artificial island near Shek Kwu Chau in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The facility offers services including waste sorting and recycling, waste incineration for power generation, seawater desalination, and sewage treatment.

The delivered modules weigh about 50,000 tonnes, 1.2 times the total weight of the steel structure of the Beijing National Stadium. The facility is composed of over 110,000 structural parts and 270,000 equipment parts, connected via almost 2 million bolts. It features a more efficient design compared to traditional ones as it will be assembled with pre-constructed modules.

Deputy Manager of the facility, Yang Cheng, stated that the modular design and innovative technology have boosted construction efficiency, reducing construction time by 20 percent and enhancing precision.

Waste incineration for power generation is an efficient waste treatment method where waste is burned in a special boiler, and the heat generated is used to generate power through a steam turbine.

Once operational, the facility can process up to 3,000 tonnes of household waste daily and generate approximately 480 million kWh of electricity annually, sufficient for 100,000 households. This could lower carbon dioxide emissions by 440,000 tonnes annually, effectively alleviating Hong Kong's pressure from solid waste landfill.

The project began in September 2020 and assembly commenced in October 2021.