3-pronged green actions

Chen categorized China Baowu's green actions in three parts: green manufacturing, green production and green industry.

The two projects in Xinjiang are examples of green manufacturing, while green production means that China Baowu must make products of higher strength, longer service time and better efficiency and performance, with improved design and innovations in the manufacturing process, according to industry insiders.

The steel giant is also looking to turn the entire industry green by using green energy, green production and green finance.

One example was the establishment of a low-carbon metallurgical innovation fund in November that will provide at least 35 million yuan ($5.5 million) annually to support the research and development of low-carbon metallurgy.

Another example is the joint launch of a 50 billion yuan carbon neutrality equity fund by China Baowu, the National Green Development Fund Co, China Pacific Insurance (Group) Co, and CCB (China Construction Bank) Financial Asset Investment Co.

Tian, the head of the blast furnace production project, said he has witnessed the extraordinary improvement in the working environment of steelworkers over the years, and over the past decade in particular.

"To work at the blast furnace is regarded as the most harsh part of steel manufacturing, be it the high-temperature environment of between 70 and 80 Celsius, the large amount of dust or the extreme noise," Tian said.

But such conditions are no longer the case as a result of China Baowu's continuing pursuit of different technologies.

In 2012, Ba Yi Iron & Steel introduced a project involving nonblast furnace ironmaking technology. In the ensuing years, the project has not only cut costs and increased production, but has also hugely improved the ironworkers' environment by reducing the amount of time they work under high temperatures to a little more than one hour a day, compared with up to seven hours previously. In addition, dust and noise have been hugely decreased, and certain tasks are now done by robots and automated facilities.

"It is hoped that the hydrogen-enriched carbon recycling blast furnace will further enhance workers' efficiency in the future," Tian said.