The Russian steelmaker Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK) has announced that in 2010 it increased its investments in environmental protection projects at its main production site in Lipetsk to Ruble 4.14 billion (about $146.4 million), up almost Ruble 100 million ($3.5 million) year on year.
Accordingly, this is a record amount of investment in environmental production since the launch of NLMK's technical upgrade program and represents the highest investment in environmental technologies among Russian steelmakers.
In 2010, implementation of the best available technologies resulted in a significantly reduced environmental impact from BOF (basic oxygen furnace) operations at NLMK's Lipetsk site, with average emissions falling by 20 percent year on year, while the site saw steel production increase by 9.2 percent compared to 2009.
Overall, in 2010, environmental measures implemented at NLMK's Lipetsk site enabled a decrease in gross emissions by 1,400 tons, a reduction of over 500,000 tons in previously accumulated industrial waste, and succeeded in reducing fresh water intake from the Voronezh River by 11.1 million m3. Moreover, in 2010 the Lipetsk site maintained zero discharge of industrial effluents, the latter having been discontinued in 2009 through a large-scale refurbishment of the processed water supply system.
Since the launch of its technical upgrade program in 2000, NLMK has allocated over Ruble 17 billion (about $601 million) for environmental protection programs. Atmospheric impact from the steelmaker's operations has been cut by 22 percent over the last 10 years.