the lingyuan iron & steel group’s sewage treatment project that the bluestar environment co handled has gotten recognition as a national environmental protection demonstration, marking the second time for bluestar to get the award, after its sewage recovery project at the beijing economic-technological development area. this sewage project had to take into account water quality, recycling requirements and scale and used a membrane method for pretreatment, high filtration and reverse osmosis. this approach has been used since 2010, with water output and quality both up to standards. the success of this project means that lingyuan can meet its softened water demands and cut fresh water use by increasing the cyclic utilization rate, with zero industrial sewage emissions. it also brings chemical oxygen demand down by 1,280 tons a year and ammonia nitrogen, by 64 tons, resulting in 2.45 million yuan in benefits. the project also contributes to reduced surface water pollution and improved water quality. a delegation of six experts went to lingyuan, led by yu yuefeng, the vice-chairman of the china environmental protection industry association, to check the sewage treatment project and yu praised its energy conservation and environmental benefits.