UrBC, Magnitogorsk, December 18, 2017. Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works (MMK) received Russia’s Natural Resources & Environment Ministry’s certificate for its proactive environmental policy. The certificate was awarded for the environmental projects MMK completed this year, the company press service reports.

The awarding ceremony took place during the Ministry’s Federal Environmental Council meeting in Moscow on December 12. The Proactive Environmental Policy in The Year of The Environment Certificate was given to MMK Director for Job Safety, Industrial Safety & Environment Grigory Schurov by Head of Rosprirodnadzor Artem Sidorov.

MMK completed three large projects targeted at reducing the company’s environmental footprint; this was done within the framework of MMK’s and the government authorities’ cooperation agreement. Firstly, the company finished reconstructing its sintering plant’s sulphur-trapping units in March; this cost over RUR 4bn and reduced the amount of harmful atmospheric emissions by 24,700,000 kg between 2010 and 2017. Next, the company’s gas-filtering unit got upgraded at the electric steel-smelting department; this cost RUR 1.9bn and reduced dust emissions by 1,800,000 kg a year. Finally, the company put up a number of aspiration units at its Blast Furnace Department 10; this cost RUR 493m and reduced dust emissions by 190,000 kg a year.

MMK implemented 31 projects aimed to reduce its atmospheric emissions and 16 projects aimed to enhance water protection and had 11.2m tons of metallurgical slag recycled at special units this year. Together with Magnitogorsk Council, MMK had some 5,000 trees and 20,000 shrubs planted in town and had more than 20,000 m2 of damaged land reclaimed.