In 2018, Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works (MMK) contributed a total of 8.967 billion rubles to environmental causes, up by 27% YoY.
Most of the investment in environmental safety went towards the construction of environmental facilities. Last year, this effort received 5.845 billion rubles. As a whole, MMK’s Environmental Program for 2018 consisted of 84 environmental initiatives:
– 45 for the reduction of air pollutant emissions;
– 26 for the reduction and prevention of pollutants being released into water bodies;
– 13 for the utilization and environmentally friendly disposal of waste and reclamation of land.
As part of MMK’s Environmental Program, 69 initiatives were implemented in 2018 and a further 15 would be implemented in 2019. Particular highlights of last year’s environmental initiatives were the construction of casting beds and a stockhouse for blast furnace No. 1; the construction of an aspiration system for the stockhouse of blast furnace No. 2; the reconstruction of the circulating water system, including the expansion of cooling tanks, preventing the release of waste-water into the Magnitogorsk reservoir; the construction of an enrichment plant for iron tailings from the sludge storage facility No. 2, capable of processing up to 2 million tons of industrial waste each year to produce 500,000 tons of concentrate with an iron content of up to 59%.
Last year, construction continued on the environmentally safe features at the new sinter plant No. 5, which would become operational this year. The new sinter plant, which has a capacity of 5.5 million tons per year and is equipped with modern environmentally safe features, will reflect the best available technologies. Among these features there will be 15 gas treatment facilities, two sinter gas recirculation systems, a circulating water system and a sludge disposal sulfur capture system. Overall investment into the environmental features of sinter plant No. 5 will amount to 5 billion rubles.
MMK’s focus is on the use of industrial waste in its own production and reclamation of exhausted quarries in Magnitnaya Mountain. In 2018, more than 11 million tons of metallurgical slag were processed. The metal is extracted, leaving behind broken and crushed slag. The remaining waste from metallurgical production is used to reclaim exhausted quarries in Magnitnaya Mountain.
From 2012 to 2017, the first stage of reclamation was completed on a 154,000-square meter area in the western quarry of the mountain. The ground was made fertile and greenery and perennial grasses were planted. Since 2012, 5,600 trees and 5,900 shrubs have been planted. In 2018, work was carried out to care for the green spaces planted in the first stage of reclamation. Work on the second stage of reclamation also continued; 94,700 square meters of land were prepared for planting.
MMK also took part in an ambitious project to create green spaces in Magnitogorsk. In 2018 a total of 2,600 birch, maples, mountain ash and fir trees, as well as 3,250 cotoneaster seedlings, were planted in the parks, public gardens and educational institutions of Magnitogorsk at the expense of MMK.
When planning long-term and sustainable development, MMK always works to ensure environmental safety and to improve their environmental management system. The Company’s production work is carried out in accordance with Russian legal requirements in the field of environmental protection and with the international standard ISO 14001:2015. As part of the company’s development strategy for the period up to 2025, MMK initiated the “Clean City” program, whereby they aim to lower Magnitogorsk’s air pollution rating to the level of 5 units by 2025 (satisfying the conditions of a “Clean City”) and for their production standards to reflect the use of the best available technologies in Russia in terms of environmental impact. By 2025, MMK’s total investment in environmental projects should exceed 38 billion rubles. (MMK/Ukrainian metal)