NLMK reports continued environmental improvements

According to a company statement, in 2012, Novolipetsk, Russian steelmaker NLMK's main production site in Lipetsk, completed 120 environmental projects as compared to 100 in 2011, with investments totaling approximately RUB 1.3 billion ($42.2 million) as compared to RUB 3.9 billion ($126.7 million) in 2011. As a result, even with the 25 percent increase in steel production (to 12.2 million mt), air emissions in 2012 were down 124 mt year on year, while emissions per one metric ton of steel produced in 2012 decreased by 20 percent. In 2012, Novolipetsk successfully passed an audit of its environmental management system with regard to its compliance with the requirements of International Standard ISO 14001:2004. The environmental improvements were carried out within the scope of projects to upgrade blast furnace (BF) and BOF (basic oxygen furnace) equipment implemented in 2012.