NLMK Group, Russia’s major manufacturer of high-value added steel products, became a winner of the 20th international Metal-Expo 2014 industrial exhibition, said a press release. "The gold medal was awarded for a unique environmental project – a biochemical waste water treatment facility at coke and chemical operations at the Lipetsk production site," the corporate website said.

      The Metal-Expo organization committee introduced the gold and silver medals in 2003. They are awarded to companies and organizations that have developed and implemented equipment and technologies at the most advanced technical level.

      The new facility designed using the best available technologies will provide a twenty-fold improvement in the quality of treatment of coke and chemical operations waste water for reuse in the closed-loop water cycle.

      The facility employs a custom technology developed by Russian scientists for deep biochemical water purification from phenols, rhodanides, ammoniacal nitrogen and its oxides (nitrites and nitrates) in one stage, whilst the previous technology required several stages. Elimination of these obsolete stages allows for up to 95% waste water purification from nitrites and nitrates.

      All infrastructure and utilities were installed above ground on an isolated concrete area equipped with a rain, melt and drain water collector, preventing any chance of groundwater pollution in the event of a containment failure and providing twenty-fold reduction in air emissions of specific pollutants that are generated as industrial waste evaporates.

      Total investment into the project which was implemented as part of NLMK’s Environmental Programme 2020 exceed RUB 2 billion.

      In May 2014, NLMK Group announced the launch of the third stage of its environmental programme, covering the period up to 2020 (Environmental Programme 2020). This programme is part of the Group’s development strategy and investment programme. It is aimed at further minimizing our environmental footprint and achieving the best possible environmental standards in global steel production.

      Investment in environmental initiatives and projects at NLMK Group companies will total RUB 10.6 billion. Most of the funds will be invested at NLMK’s Lipetsk production site.