At a recent work conference on promoting the recycling of phosphorus and sulfuric acid held in Shenyang from July 14th to 16th, reporters learned that the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) has recently released a report detailing the results of an environmental risk investigation into 20 chemical and petrochemical construction projects. A key finding in the report is that phosphogypsum residue is now classified as hazardous solid waste. This classification has significantly increased the regulatory burden on China's phosphate fertilizer industry, which currently deals with over 100 million tons of phosphogypsum slag. The change is expected to have long-term implications for the production and management of phosphate fertilizers.
It was also revealed that in the first half of this year, SEPA conducted environmental risk assessments for several major projects, including a 1.2 million-ton-per-year ammonium phosphate plant operated by Yunnan Sanhuan Chemical Co., Ltd., and a 300,000-ton-per-year phosphoric acid and 600,000-ton-per-year ammonium phosphate project at Yunnan Furui Chemical Co., Ltd. These assessments were part of a broader initiative to evaluate environmental risks across 20 chemical and petrochemical projects.
According to the newly released report, phosphogypsum—generated as a by-product during the production of phosphoric acid using the sulfuric acid method—has been officially categorized as hazardous waste under China’s National Solid Waste Pollution Prevention and Control Law. This means stricter regulations will apply to its transportation, storage, processing, and utilization. Currently, more than 100 million tons of phosphogypsum are stored nationwide, with over 20 million tons added annually. The classification as hazardous waste raises concerns about how this massive volume will be managed moving forward.
Phosphogypsum is produced in large quantities—approximately 4.5 to 5.5 tons per ton of phosphoric acid made. Due to variations in the composition of phosphate ore and inconsistent control during the production process, some phosphogypsum may contain harmful substances such as water-soluble inorganic fluorides and acidity, which can exceed hazardous waste thresholds. Improper disposal or stacking of these materials can lead to serious environmental pollution.
China is the world's largest producer of phosphate fertilizers and consequently generates the most phosphogypsum as a by-product. Managing this waste remains a critical challenge for the industry.
During the conference, experts emphasized the need to promote mature and effective treatment technologies. They advocated for the use of phosphogypsum as a cement retarder and building material instead of natural gypsum. With many cities banning clay bricks, there is an opportunity to replace them with phosphogypsum-based products. It was also suggested that phosphate fertilizer companies should be encouraged to fully utilize phosphogypsum, while downstream users should be motivated to adopt phosphogypsum products.
Currently, phosphate fertilizer companies that use phosphogypsum as a cement retarder benefit from value-added tax (VAT) exemptions. However, cement companies that purchase it do not receive the same tax benefits, which makes them reluctant to use it. Experts stressed that for the full potential of phosphogypsum to be realized, both producers and consumers must have aligned incentives.
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