The “Zero-Waste Factory” Moves Forward on the Path to Green Development

The Beautiful Home Initiative is on the horizon.

Reporter: Huang Min

Guilin Hengbao Health Protection Co., Ltd. is a leading enterprise in China’s latex industry and one of the first “Zero-Waste Cells” units and the first “Zero-Waste Factories” in Guilin City.

As one of the 100 cities nationwide selected for the “14th Five-Year Plan” period’s “Zero-Waste City” initiative, our city is fully committed to advancing the construction of a “Zero-Waste City.” Among these efforts, the “Zero-Waste Factory,” as a key foundational project within the “Zero-Waste City” initiative, serves as an essential cornerstone and vital component of the overall strategy.

What is a “zero-waste factory”? It refers to a factory that, guided by the principles of source reduction, in-plant recycling, and green, low-carbon practices, continuously promotes the reduction of industrial solid waste at the source and its resource utilization through measures such as raw material substitution, process optimization, technological upgrades, and point-to-point utilization. This approach aims to minimize landfill volumes and reduce the environmental impact of solid waste to the greatest extent possible.

Recently, a reporter visited Guilin Hengbao Health Protection Co., Ltd., located in the Guilin Economic Development Zone, to uncover the secrets behind this “zero-waste factory.”

01

Technological upgrade in the production phase

Reduce pollutant generation at the source.

As you step through the gates of Guilin Hengbao Company, the sounds of birds chirping and insects buzzing fill your ears. Before your eyes lies a clean and tidy road flanked by lush green trees. Behind it stand neatly arranged and brightly lit office buildings, production workshops, and staff dormitories. Walking around the factory premises, you’ll find no airborne dust, no deafening noise, and no unusual odors whatsoever.

Arriving at the company’s Phase II production workshop, several medical surgical glove production lines are operating smoothly and efficiently. Staff members told reporters that the company has now completed the construction of 20 medical surgical glove production lines (single-row configuration), with an annual capacity to produce over 600 million pairs of high-quality medical surgical gloves—placing its production capacity first in China and among the top three worldwide.

The reporter observed that on the professionally isolated production line, neatly arranged gloves were sequentially coated under the operation of machinery and then transported to the upper area for shaping and drying. Wu Fuzheng, Executive Deputy General Manager of Guilin Hengbao Health Protection Co., Ltd., explained to the reporter: “This is our newly upgraded production line. Not only does it use coating technology to replace chlorine washing, thereby reducing the environmental impact of chlorine gas; in the sterilization stage, it also employs electron-beam sterilization (BO) instead of ethylene oxide sterilization (EO), further minimizing the environmental impact of ethylene oxide gas.”

In addition, Guilin Hengbao has invested 498,000 yuan to carry out a steam-energy-saving retrofit on a dual-mode glove production line in Phase II, starting from March of this year. The renovated line was put into operation on May 26. “Now, the steam consumption per production line has dropped from 3.2 tons per hour to 2.0 tons per hour, resulting in daily savings of 28.8 tons of steam over 24 hours,” said Wu Fuzheng. “After completing this retrofit, our glove production line’s energy consumption level has become one of the industry leaders. Going forward, we also plan to upgrade all four unretrofitted dual-mode glove lines following the same approach.”

The company is upgrading and modernizing its production line, using coating technology to replace chlorine washing, thereby reducing the environmental impact of chlorine gas.

(Photo provided by Guilin Hengbao Health Protection Co., Ltd.)

The reporter learned that Guilin Hengbao has also taken several measures to promote the reuse of water resources. They have diverted the overflow from the hot-water tank before the coagulant is applied, the overflow from the pre-filtration tank, and the overflow from the post-filtration tank separately into mold-washing water tanks, thereby achieving water conservation at the machinery stations. Additionally, they’ve installed a self-priming pump on top of the existing water pools, using pipelines to transfer wastewater flowing into the pools into an idle stainless steel water tank in Phase II (with a capacity of approximately 45 tons). This reclaimed water is then pumped—using the originally installed pump—to various water-use points in Phase II. Wu Fuzheng told the reporter, “By implementing these measures, the factory can save 180,000 tons of water annually, which also means reducing wastewater discharge by 180,000 tons.”

If you want to attract fish, first ensure the water is clear; if you want to attract birds, first plant trees. Guilin Hengbao deeply understands that green innovation is the only path to building core competitiveness and sustained vitality. In recent years, it has been steadily advancing technological upgrades and transformations, precisely addressing the key issue of pollution reduction and carbon emission reduction, and has taken firm steps forward on the road to green development.

02

Multi-stage treatment at the discharge outlet

Not a single drop of wastewater or a single breath of exhaust gas is emitted.

The treatment of factory wastewater, exhaust gases, and solid waste has always been a top priority for enterprises pursuing green development. In addressing these issues, Guilin Hengbao has continuously improved its processes and found solutions that align with the principles of green development.

“In recent years, the company has steadfastly pursued a low-carbon and environmentally friendly development path, pledging ‘not to discharge a single drop of wastewater into nearby rivers and not to release a single breath of industrial exhaust into the air,’” Yang Shengping, manager of the company’s Safety and Environmental Protection Department, told reporters. Under the guidance of relevant authorities and experts over the past few years, Guilin Hengbao has carried out a comprehensive upgrade and renovation of its wastewater treatment facilities, re-planned the initial rainwater collection system, adjusted its wastewater treatment processes, and designed a closed-loop collection system for its wastewater treatment facilities. These measures ensure that the treated wastewater fully complies with national standards, and the unpleasant odors associated with the wastewater have also disappeared.

Today, in the wastewater treatment process, the company employs the “AO biochemical method,” using anaerobic hydrolysis technology as a pretreatment step for activated sludge. In addition to effectively degrading organic pollutants, this process also features nitrogen removal and phosphorus removal capabilities. “This highly efficient wastewater treatment system has enabled Hengbao to fulfill its commitment of ‘not discharging a single drop of wastewater into nearby rivers,’” Yang Shengping emphasized.

AO Biochemical Wastewater Treatment Process Flowchart

(Photo provided by Guilin Hengbao Health Protection Co., Ltd.)

“In terms of exhaust gas treatment, Hengbao Company employs the ‘UV Photolysis & Wet Scrubber Method.’ By using UV ultraviolet light beams to break down emitted exhaust gases, this method effectively targets the molecular chain structures of gases such as hydrogen sulfide and total non-methane hydrocarbons. Under the irradiation of high-energy UV light beams, the molecular chains of organic or inorganic polymeric exhaust compounds are degraded and transformed into lower-molecular-weight compounds, thereby achieving effective pollution control and ensuring that emissions meet regulatory standards,” Yang Shengping told reporters. To further enhance its exhaust gas treatment capabilities, the company has upgraded its original water-bath dust removal equipment used in the production workshop, transforming it into a three-stage dust removal system capable of performing “water-bath dust removal + spray scrubbing + activated carbon adsorption.”

Wastewater treatment equipment for production workshops

(Photo provided by Guilin Hengbao Health Protection Co., Ltd.)

Moreover, the company has installed a gas-collection hood over the sewage ponds. “Simply put,” Yang Shengping explained with a smile, “we’ve added a stainless-steel cover above the sewage ponds to ensure a tight seal and prevent any leakage of waste gases. After sealing, the gases are collected via branch ducts and then channeled into a main duct, guaranteeing that all waste gases are fully captured and routed to the treatment system for processing.” “It’s a bit like when we turn on the range hood while stir-frying at home,” she added.

In terms of solid waste management, the chemical raw material containers used by the company are uniformly collected and reused by the manufacturer. The rubber scraps generated during the production process are also handed over to companies with professional qualifications for recycling and reuse. Hazardous solid wastes are strictly transported and disposed of by qualified hazardous waste disposal companies in accordance with the national regulations on hazardous waste management. The reporter learned that, starting from the beginning of this year, Guilin Hengbao, following recommendations from relevant authorities and experts, has established a cooperative relationship with a nearby brick factory, sending certain types of reusable solid wastes to the brick factory, thereby turning waste into valuable resources.

“Throughout the years, our company has attached great importance to environmental protection, earnestly implementing the development philosophy that ‘lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets.’ We’ve actively taken measures to tackle pollution, prevent contamination, conserve energy, and reduce emissions, steadily pursuing a path of low-carbon and environmentally friendly development. The pledge—‘We will not discharge a single drop of wastewater into nearby rivers, nor release a single breath of industrial exhaust into the air’—is not merely a corporate commitment; it’s also the responsibility of every member of Hengbao. The work we do—making the Economic Development Zone, Guilin, and even our planet just a little bit more beautiful—is truly meaningful.” It is precisely because of this deep-seated awareness that, under the leadership of the company’s management, Yang Shengping and her colleagues from the Environmental Protection Department diligently and enthusiastically carry out their duties every single day.

Employees from the company’s safety and environmental protection department are checking and verifying relevant data in front of the exhaust gas treatment equipment in the production workshop.

(Photo provided by Guilin Hengbao Health Protection Co., Ltd.)

Small incisions can lead to major breakthroughs; small actions can bring about significant changes in the broader environment. “After being recognized as one of the first ‘Zero-Waste Cells’ and one of the first ‘Zero-Waste Factories’ in Guilin City, the employees of Hengbao have come to even more deeply appreciate the benefits that waste reduction and carbon emission reduction bring to both the company and society,” said Wu Fuzheng. Looking ahead, Guilin Hengbao will continue to adhere to the standards for ‘Zero-Waste Factories,’ strengthening internal management, continuously optimizing production processes, developing new forms of productive forces, reducing waste and carbon emissions, enhancing efficiency and output, and maximizing resource utilization. In doing so, Hengbao will make positive contributions to China’s efforts to achieve peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality, as well as to Guilin’s development as a ‘Zero-Waste City.’