Tianjin, the largest port city in north China, will start construction of its first trash-burning power plant in early July at a cost of 570 million yuan (about US$68.68 million).

The project is listed as one of the key works Tianjin will build in support of Beijing's Olympic Games in 2008. It is also listed by the Chinese Ministry of Construction as one of its scientific demonstration projects for 2003.

Sources from Tianjin Taida Holdings Ltd, one of the investors, said the projected trash-burning power plant would be installed with three trash-burning lines made in Japan.

The plant will have an installed capacity of 18,000 kw and will be capable of generating 351,000 kw/hours of electricity each day. A total of 116 million kw/hours of electricity will be brought into the local power grid each year, which will mean 48,000 tons of coal will be saved from consumption.

The new plant will be constructed in the city's suburbs.

Advanced smoke purifying devices will avoid secondary pollution.

Along with fast economic development and a quick rise in urban population, Tianjin, like many other Chinese cities, has also been plagued by growing heaps of trash.

The city each day produces 5,000 tons of trash from daily life, most of which are trucked out and piled up in big heaps in the city's suburbs in the open air.

On completion, the new plant will be able to treat 1,200 tons of trash daily, accounting for 24 percent of the trash produced by urban districts of Tianjin.

(Xinhua News Agency June 23, 2003)