OREANDA-NEWS. August 23, 2012. MMC Norilsk Nickel continues implementing programs on production facilities technical upgrading and ecology improvement at the operations in Murmansk region. As part of his visit to the region, Mr. Alexander Malyshevsky, Chairman of Public Council of the Federal Service for Supervision over Natural Resources Use (Rosprirodnadzor) has inspected production facilities of Kola MMC (OJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel’s subsidiary), reported the press-centre of Norilsk Nickel.

In particular, Chairman of Rosprirodnadzor’s Public Council  visited Kola MMC’s Pelletizing and Smelting Shops. These are two key facilities that make part of the production facilities upgrading program aiming at improving the ecological situation. Thus, Pelletizing Shop in Zapolyarny currently being at commissioning stage, will allow the company to abandon obsolete roasting technology non-complying with existing ecological standards in the field of nickel-copper concentrate roasting. Smelting Shop will face a major reconstruction, but at the moment, the company is implementing a scope of local technological projects aiming at reducing sulphur dioxide emissions.

“When fulfilling our plans, we place emphasis on cooperation with Rosprirodnadzor’s Public Council – said Alexei Tolstykh, Deputy General Director – Technical Director of Kola MMC – This is the exact body that may independently and high-professionally evaluate our work. And I believe this is a very good example of Kola MMC’s cooperation not only with government  authorities, but with non-commercial organizations as well, whose opinion is always very important for us.

The total company’s allocations for activities on reducing  sulfur dioxide emissions for a period from 1997 to 2011 amounted to USD 450 million. And most importantly, Norilsk Nickel and Kola MMC’s efforts indeed yield the results. If in 1997, the total emissions in Nikel and Zapolyarny towns amounted to 247,000 tons per year, by 2011 this parameter was reduced to 100,000 tons.

According to Mr. Malyshevsky, searching and adhering to positive trends in the facilities upgrading may raise the efficiency of environmental activities and serve as a basis for national policy in this area. As an example of such model of the interaction between regulatory authorities and business circles, he quoted the Agreement between Rosprirodnadzor and MMC Norilsk Nickel’s Polar Division, whereby the parties "shall control every stage of modernization – including continuous monitoring and reporting on the ecological efficiency of the measures taken" – said Chairman of Rosprirodnadzor ‘s Public Council.