Russian steelmaker NLMK is hot testing a biochemical waste water treatment facility at its coke and chemical operations in Lipetsk. The project, implemented as part of the company's Environmental Programme 2020, will cost in excess of RUB2 billion.
Since 2009, all industrial storm and waste water at the site has been contained in a closed loop water cycle with multi-stage treatment to enable it to be reused in technological production processes, NLMK explained.
The new facility, which operates at 160m3/hr, was designed using the best available technologies, the company claims, adding that it will provide 'a twenty-fold improvement in the the quality of treatment of coke and chemical operations' waste water for re-use in the closed loop water cycle.
NLMK's managing director, Sergey Filatov, said that the Lipetsk site has achieved 'unprecedented results' in the course of implementing the previous stages of the company's Environmental Programme. According to Filatov, specific air emissions have been halved since 2000 and steel production increased by 51% over the same period. Waste water discharge has been completely halted.
"But we are not going to stop at that and are continuing our ongoing efforts to reduce the company's environmental footprint as part of NLMK's Environmental Programme 2020," said Filatov.
NLMK's goal is to be industry leaders in environmental efficiency.
