OREANDA-NEWS. June 8, 2011. UC RUSAL (SEHK: 486, Euronext: RUSAL/RUAL, MICEX: RUALR, RTS: RUAL), the world’s largest aluminium producer, announces the launch of environmental modermisation at four of its plants. The total investment into these projects is expected to amount to RUR5.5 billion (approx.USD200 million).

New environmental projects have started at three Urals plants – the Bogoslovsky Aluminium Smelter, the Urals Aluminium Smelter, the Urals Silicon Plant, and at the Achinsk Alumina Refinery (AAR) in Siberia.

At AAR gas purification systems of sintering furnaces #5 and #6 will be reconstructed and a new waste storage area will be created. After the reconstruction, gas purification efficiency will reach 99.8% and the new waste storage area will enable the refinery to extend the waste storage terms up to 20 years in compliance with all the environmental law requirements. Total environmental investment at AAR will exceed RUR2.5 billion.

A dry gas purification system is to be implemented at the Company’s Urals Silicon Plant which is expected to result in a 150-fold decrease in mineral dust emissions with SiO2>70%. The estimated project expenditures will amount to RUR650 million. The Urals Aluminium Smelter is going to reconstruct the waste storage field #2 and reconstruct waste storage field #3 to prolong its service up to 2027. The cost of the project is expected to be RUR750 million. An extended RUR1.5 billion waste storage field will also be built at the Bogoslovsky Aluminium Smelter.

The realisation of environmental projects will enable RUSAL to establish a base for future growth and potential production increase according to environmental standards as the world's demand for aluminium continues to rise.

Andrey Volvenkin, Director of Engineering and Construction division of RUSAL, said: “RUSAL is committed to reducing the environmental impact in all of its operations areas. During the global downturn some major projects were temporarily suspended. Since the market recovery, RUSAL has been able to focus on its environmental projects. I want to emphasize that these are the first post-crisis large-scale environmental projects started by the Company. Environmental programmes are scheduled to take place at all of the Company’s subsidiaries.”

The environmental actions of the Company are aimed at modernisation and upgrading 50-60 years old production facilities and at development of the new environmentally friendly aluminium production technologies for greenfield developments. RUSAL is committed to minimising the impact of its operations on the environment. The majority of RUSAL's facilities are ISO 9001 certified. About 80% of aluminium is produced using environmentally friendly hydro energy. RUSAL is also the first Russian company to join UNDP Climate Change Initiative.