Evaluation of the enterprise effectiveness is expressed in figures. Generally, the higher the operating capabilities, the higher the evaluation. However the positive dynamics regarding such an important question like ecology is determined by a ‘negative’ sign. In this case the law of mathematics can be observed. If negative influence on the environment is reduced, then minus multiplied by minus will give a large plus.
The solution of such tasks is the main aim of the work of the environmental protection laboratory. According to the opinion of the deputy chief of the environmental protection laboratory Roman Kiryanov, Zaporizhstal has a possibility to successfully achieve this goal. Thanks to the owners of the Works and the management team headed by Vitaliy Antonovich Satskiy the annual budget of measures on environmental protection amounts to 90 million UAH.
Due to these enormous financial investments and laborious task on improvement of the technological processes the index of specific emissions per ton of produced steel from 1999 to 2009 has reduced by 40%.
In this period quite a few of such measures were carried out at Zaporizhstal. For example, in 2001 capital repair of blast furnace No.3 and reconstruction of the neighbouring blast furnace No.2 at the end of 2004 were carried out. The systems of aspiration of the casting yards and skip pit and also nitrogen suppression of harmful emissions in the interbell space were implemented on all the blast furnaces. This allowed to cardinally improve the labour conditions of blast furnace workers and to reduce the total amount of emissions. As a result of modernization of the blast furnaces it became possible to put blast furnace No.1 out of operation. All this has allowed to reduce emissions in the blast furnace production by 80%.
But even these figures are not a limit for the index of effectiveness of the accomplished reconstruction. However, solution of ecological tasks does not mean only modernization of the blast furnace shop. Minimization of harm caused by dust- and gas forming emissions and also by drainage waters is also carried out in other production subdivisions. For example, in September 2007 reconstruction in the sintering plant was accomplished. Since then 2 electric filters included in the aspiration unit of the discharging parts of sintering machines Nos. 1-6, annually catch more than 2500 tons of dust per year. And this is 25% of all the dust emissions of the Works.
The usage of flat-jumbo burners type “SNG” in the open-hearth furnace production reduced emissions of combustion products approximately 50% per year. Measures on reconstruction of recycling of water supply allowed to reduce discharge of return water by 23.5% and the content of contaminated substances in these waters by 53%.
Utilization of blast furnace gas stands separately in the list of measures on environmental protection. This technology allows to reduce the usage of natural gas for the heating system and heating of water at TPP. Besides not only the Works is provided with hot water supply but 2 regions of the city too are provided with continuous supply of hot water in the summer season.
These are the largest measures accomplished by the Works regarding improvement of the ecological condition in the city. Changes are expected in the future too. In correspondence with the international standard requirements the Works has worked out its own ecological programme which is part of the integrated system of quality management, ecology and labour protection.
Recently, during the exhibition in Kiev “Ecology-2009” nature protection activity of “Zaporozhstal” has been highly praised by the Chief ecological inspector of the Ministry of environmental protection of Ukraine Nikolay Kostrov. According to his words the Stateecoinspection has proposed to spread the experience of our Works throughout the metallurgical branch of industry in our country. As a matter of fact reduction of 7,841 thousand tons of emissions in the last two years is a weighty argument in favour of our arithmetic.