Factor Decomposition Analysis of Industrial Wastewater Discharge: A Case of China’s Jiangxi Province

Abstract

Industrial wastewater discharge is a serious problem for the environmental management of water in Jiangxi, China. In order to analyze the drivers of industrial wastewater discharge in 2004-2015, we used a Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) method to examine four effects including scale , structure , discharge intensity, and technology on the discharges. In 2004-2015, the wastewater discharge from Jiangxi’s industrial sectors increased by 2348.918 ×10⁴ tons. The expansions of production scale and discharge intensity were the main factors leading to increases in industrial wastewater discharges, by1.392-fold and 1.028-fold, respectively. Improvements in abatement technology and adjustment of industrial structure was most important role in decreasing industrial wastewater discharge by 0.659-fold and 0.996-fold, respectively. The main industries that led to increased wastewater discharge during 2004-2015 were WC, MPNFMO, PFAP, Mte, MPPP, MRCMCP, MM, and MCCOEE. We showed that if control of wastewater discharge in Jiangxi’s industrial sectors is to be achieved in future, the industrial sectors should continue to rely on advanced technology to improve efficiency of water use in the short term, and should simultaneously limit expansion of energy-intensive and highly polluting industries. This may help accelerate restructuring and upgrading of the industrial sector in China in the long run.

Keywords: decomposition factors, wastewater discharge, Jiangxi, industrial sectors, LMDI