OREANDA-NEWS. June 09, 2010. Novolipetsk Steel has won a National Environmental Award for “Innovative Eco-Efficient Industrial Technologies”.  The company was awarded a special figurine and diploma for the successful implementation of its “Industrial Water Supply System Upgrade” project.

The National Environmental Awards were established in 2003 by the Vernadsky Foundation and the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, with the assistance of the Council of Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and the Russian Government.  An independent expert committee, made up of well-known scientists and public figures, reviewed about 130 projects relating to next-generation power engineering, environmental safety of production, transport and urban habitat, and environmental consciousness, development and education.

In 2009 NLMK became the first Russian fully integrated steelmaker to stop its process waste water discharge into a surface-water body (the Voronezh River).  The upgrade project allowed the Company to ensure such high quality in industrial effluents treatment that it can be reused during production.   As a result, NLMK’s fresh river water demand decreased three times.  The Company is currently working towards a further reduction in its water consumption from the Voronezh River with the prospect of stopping usage of river water altogether and switching to treated municipal waste waters.