The Tangshan Environmental Protection Bureau has fined 15 steel producers and ordered four steel mills to stop operations due to violations found during inspections on April 1-4.
The Environment Bureau reported 48 cases of environmental violations and issued total fines of RMB 19.2 million ($2.9 million).
Hebei Xinda Iron and Steel Group, Tangshan Jinma Iron and Steel Group, Tangshan Medium and Heavy Plate and Tangshan Songting Iron and Steel were ordered to stop operations due to monitoring falsifications.
The result is expected to lead to even tighter supply of billet and HR flat steel in the Tangshan area and to push up prices in the local market. As SteelOrbis reported earlier, the highest restrictions for steel production in Tangshan will be for seven companies, which operate crude steel capacities from 2.5 million mt to 10 million mt per annum. They will have to cut emissions by 50 percent from March 20 until June 30, while they will have to implement emissions reductions of 30 percent from July 1 until December 31. Another 16 steel companies will lower emissions by 30 percent for the whole period from March 20 to December 31.
