The comprehensive treatment of phosphogypsum is a worldwide challenge. Currently, the main disposal method is stacking. A large amount of stacked phosphogypsum not only occupies land resources and poses potential ecological and environmental safety risks, but also restricts the green and sustainable development of the phosphate chemical industry. Yunnan Province is one of the important bases for phosphorus resources, phosphate fertilizers, and phosphate chemicals in China. By combing through the current situation and existing problems of the comprehensive utilization of phosphogypsum in Yunnan Province, this paper puts forward suggestions such as strengthening the reduction of pollutants in production, promoting the harmless treatment of phosphogypsum, implementing coordinated development of the entire industrial chain, consolidating the main responsibility of enterprises, driving innovation through missions and scenarios, expanding comprehensive utilization approaches, establishing a collaborative and linkage mechanism among multiple departments, and strengthening overall coordination and supervision. These suggestions aim to provide references for further promoting the reduction, resource utilization, and harmless treatment of phosphogypsum, and facilitating the resource - conservation and green development of the phosphate chemical industry.
Increase Financial Subsidy Support and Promote the “Utilization - Driven Production” of Phosphogypsum
Yunnan Province gives full play to the leading role of fiscal funds in leveraging: To support enterprises in enhancing the comprehensive utilization of phosphogypsum, the Department of Industry and Information Technology of Yunnan Province implements the “utilization - driven production” policy. For enterprises that utilize more than 50,000 tons of phosphogypsum annually, the government and phosphate chemical enterprises jointly provide a financial subsidy of 30 to 70 yuan per ton. It also guides enterprises to strive for central financial support. In 2022, the comprehensive utilization project of phosphogypsum by Sinochem Yunlong Co., Ltd. received 4.4 million yuan of investment support from the central budget. Moreover, the provincial - level financial support has been strengthened. In 2021 and 2022, the provincial special funds for industrial and information technology development provided financial support to 6 comprehensive utilization projects of phosphogypsum. In 2023, departments such as the Department of Housing and Urban - Rural Development of Yunnan Province included phosphogypsum comprehensive utilization projects in major project databases at all levels. Enterprises that use phosphogypsum as a raw material to produce related materials can enjoy a tax refund of 70% as a tax preference.
Continuously Strengthen Industry Supervision and Improve the Risk Management Ability of Phosphogypsum
Yunnan Province has been deeply promoting the concentrated campaign against environmental pollution caused by phosphogypsum and strengthening environmental supervision over the stacking and comprehensive utilization of phosphogypsum. On the one hand, it strictly implements the "Notice of the General Office of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment on Doing a Good Job in the Environmental Impact Assessment and Discharge Permit Management of 'Three Phosphorus' Construction Projects". It requires that phosphate fertilizer construction projects should implement the principle of "production determined by utilization", that is, the production volume of wet - process phosphoric acid is determined by the comprehensive utilization volume of phosphogypsum. The comprehensive utilization channels of phosphogypsum should be implemented. For cases where comprehensive utilization is not smooth, the existing phosphogypsum storage yards can be used for stacking, and no new or expanded phosphogypsum storage yards are allowed. Phosphogypsum storage yards, tailings ponds, and temporary storage sites should take measures such as anti - seepage and groundwater drainage according to the requirements for the disposal of Class II general industrial solid waste, and construct groundwater monitoring wells for daily monitoring to prevent groundwater environmental pollution. On the other hand, multiple departments in the province have joined forces to carry out several rounds of inspections of environmental risk hazards at enterprises and stacking sites related to phosphogypsum, to find out the quantity, distribution, environmental management status, and environmental management risks of phosphogypsum, and to urge and guide enterprises with problems to formulate and implement rectification measures. In addition, the Department of Ecology and Environment of Yunnan Province and the Department of Industry and Information Technology of Yunnan Province take the lead in promoting the informatization management of phosphogypsum and the construction of "transparent" storage yards, urging and guiding enterprises to truthfully record information such as the generation quantity, flow direction, storage, utilization, and disposal of phosphogypsum, and to publicly disclose pollution prevention information such as enterprises and stacking sites, monitoring data, and responsible persons.