Norilsk and its Ecology. The Measures of Norilsk Nickel for Improving Ecological Situation

Norilsk Nickel pays attention to Norilsk ecology. Environmental issues are on the agenda nowadays and more and more huge corporations take care of nature preservation not only locally but also globally. Norilsk Nickel is not an exception as it implements diverse projects devoted to environmental protection.

The leading industrial giant sets nature conservation as one of its main goals and does its utmost to protect all the spheres. It participates in lots of local and international drafts and is famous for its eco-friendly approach as it tries to minimize the impact the industrial production has on the atmosphere.

This article will overview the main activities of the industrial giant and show that Nornickel is the company that plays a huge role for the preservation of the environment not only in the regions of its operations but also on the global arena.

Norilsk Ecology is in the Right Hands – How Nornickel Protect Region’s Environment

As mentioned above, the company plays a huge role in the protection of Norilsk ecology as it drafts diverse environmental projects regularly. Norilsk Nickel takes care of:

• air protection
• water protection
• biodiversity conservation
• consequences connected with climate change
• waste management
• issues connected with emissions and carbon footprint
• eliminating the consequences of various ecological tragedies

Nornickel takes different measures in all the spheres that lead to nature preservation. For instance, in the sphere of air protection it:

• upgrades of existing equipment and facilities
• constantly moves towards the reduction of SO2 emissions
• constructs new sulphur recovery units
• implements a continuous conversion technology

In the sphere of water protection, Norilsk Nickel:

• implements new water cycle systems and optimizes the existing ones
• modernizes the existing equipment
• constructs new wastewater treatment facilities

The company also takes care of waste management, looks for new ways of efficient usage of natural resources, investigates the issues connected with climate change and global warming, and, moreover, Norilsk Nickel has implemented an environmental management system that has led to boosting of environmental safety and the improvement of overall performance.

Nornickel also participates in different international projects and one of the most essential now is the draft in cooperation with BASF that is held in Finland.

BASF Project. Its Main Points and Goals

The leading industrial giants have decided to join their forces in order to supply the battery material market. The first location for battery production is going to be in Harjavalta, Finland and the plant will be constructed with the help from Norilsk Nickel.

BASF and Nornickel have already signed a long-term project and planned the investments it will demand. It is suggested that this recycling project will not only lead to the sustainable development of the battery materials market but also contribute to the reduction of a carbon footprint as the work will be placed in one spot.

The intermediate results have already shown the success of this recycling project.

However, Norilsk Nickel does not forget about Norilsk ecology and continues implementing local ecological drafts as well.

One of the key projects that is ongoing in the region is the Sulphur project the main aim of which is to reduce SO2 emissions and contribute to the sphere of air protection.

The Sulphur Project and Its Importance for Norilsk Ecology

Nornickel has been working on the Sulphur project for a long time. The first phase of it has already been completed and such measures as:

• Talnakh concentrator and Nadezhda plant upgrade and expansion
• Nickel plant shutdown

have been taken and led to the reduction of SO2 emissions in a Norilsk residential area by 30%. It also helped to:

• reduce the total number of SO2 emissions in the Polar Division by 15%
• remove 600 sources of air pollution
• shut down two wastewater discharge points

It is planned that the removal and engineering works will be continued up to 2023 and Norilsk Nickel states that it is going to keep working on this project in any case.

It is expected that by 2023

• 1.5–1.7 mtpa of sulphur dioxide will be captured
• and up to 280 ktpa of elemental sulphur and 5 mtpa of gypsum will be converted

Norilsk ecology should not suffer from sulphur dioxide emissions as they are really dangerous not only for the environment but also for people’s health. Nornickel understands that such emissions may have a bad impact as they can lead to problems with eyes, nose, throat, lungs, and can also worsen asthma or heart diseases. Moreover, it affects the environment as it can appear in the form of precipitations and ruin the ecosystem.

Nornickel does not only pay attention to getting profit but also takes care of the elimination of the consequences of industrial production. It understands that it has to deal with ecological issues and that is why Norilsk Nickel provides financial assistance and support to those organizations that are involved in diverse environmental protection projects.

All in all, Norilsk ecology is in the right hand as the leading industrial giant takes care of environment preservation. It takes different measures in the sphere of air and water protection, investigates climate change issues, suggests new ways of usage of natural resources as well as pays attention to biodiversity conservation.

Nornickel participates in lots of local ecological projects and leads a huge draft devoted to the reduction of dangerous SO2 emissions.

Moreover, Norilsk Nickel also takes part in various international projects and one of the great importance is the draft which is located in Finland and is led in cooperation with BASF.

Norilsk ecology issues are solved regularly and Nornickel has more and more projects devoted to environmental protection. For example, recently, it has participated in the Great Norilsk expedition the main aim of which is to find suggestions for further sustainable development of industrial corporations in the Arctic region with noting that they will not bring any harm to the region’s nature. Nornickel will keep improving its environmental management system and takes care of the environment on all levels.