What is driving the structural shift from synthetic to oxidation-based anthraquinone in China?

What is driving the structural shift from synthetic to oxidation-based anthraquinone in China?
China's anthraquinone industry is undergoing a notable structural transition driven by environmental policy. Synthetic anthraquinone capacity, currently 75,000 t/a, faces increasing regulatory pressure due to high emissions and waste generation. Meanwhile, oxidation-based capacity at 31,000 t/a is positioned for growth as more coal-tar deep-processing facilities come online. This shift is exemplified by a major Chinese carbon black producer planning a 2x100,000 t/a anthracene oil deep-processing project that will co-produce 5,000 t/a of anthraquinone, integrating anthracene oil refining with downstream anthraquinone output. The trend suggests that anthraquinone supply will become increasingly tied to coal-tar processing economics rather than standalone synthetic routes, potentially improving cost structures but also linking anthraquinone prices more closely to coal chemical market dynamics.