Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works (MMK) has become the only Russian company in the metal and steel industry to be included among the top ten ranking Russian companies for environmental initiatives, a bi-annual list compiled by the Living Planet channel and the Modern Media Research Institute (MOMRI).
In the rankings for the first half of 2018 MMK rose up the list by two places, taking seventh place. In total, 33 companies in the fuel and energy and metallurgical sectors of the economy feature on the full list.
The experts were highly impressed by MMK’s corporate environmental program, as well as the set of initiatives featured on MMK’s strategic initiative “Clean City”. This includes reducing the level of air pollution in Magnitogorsk from a “critical level” in 2017 to a “low level” by 2025, and bringing it in-line with the favorable environmental standards.
Among MMK’s environmental projects, the judges were particularly impressed by the construction of a new sinter plant, which would be equipped with modern treatment facilities. With its launch in 2019 and the decommissioning of the old sinter plant No. 4, the environmental effects will be as follows:
– Dust emissions into the atmosphere would be reduced by 2,075 tons/year (that includes 490 tons/year of vented emissions and 1,585 tons/year of fugitive emissions) and sulfur dioxide emissions will be reduced by 3,500 tons/year.
– Suspended materials emissions into circulating water system would decline by 600 tons per year.
– 13,750 tons/year of sludge from sulfur capture units will be recovered and turned into commercial plaster.
In 2018 MMK’s total investment into environmental initiatives is expected to amount to 5.7 billion rubles, up by 36% YoY. In total the company intends to have invested more than 38 billion rubles into environmental initiatives by 2025. In addition to the radical reduction of air emissions, MMK’s environmental program aims to eliminate the deposit of industrial effluents into the Magnitogorsk reservoir and to ensure environmentally safe waste disposal and reclamation of effected lands.
The Living Planet and MOMRI rating is intended to demonstrate the importance of environmental awareness among Russian companies, as well as to encourage the use of environmental initiatives as a way of positioning companies in the market and within society. (MMK/Ukrainian metal)