In 2019, Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works (MMK) allocated more than RUB 8.7 billion for environmental protection, of which more than RUB 5.3 billion was spent on capital construction of new, and reconstruction of existing, environmental protection facilities.

MMK allocated a further RUB 3.4 billion for on-going environmental protection measures including repairs and maintenance of environmental objects, reclamation, waste disposal, organisation of industrial ecological controls etc.

Total investments in environmental protection activities for 2015-2019 amounted to more than RUB 20 billion, while there has been a steady increase in the volume of investments, in 2019, they have increased by almost 2.5 times compared to 2015. By 2025, investments in the construction of environmental protection facilities will amount to RUB 38.1 billion, most of which (57%) will be directed to measures to reduce emissions of air pollutants.

MMK has developed and implemented a long-term environmental programme that covers all its production processes and is aimed at implementing the best available technologies. This programme allows for a reduction in the existing level of environmental impact and ensures the environmental safety of technological processes. In accordance with MMK's environmental programme, 80 technical measures aimed at reducing and preventing negative impacts on the environment were carried out in 2019. In 2020, MMK will continue to work on 8 further initiatives.

Among the most significant environmental measures of the MMK Environmental programme in 2019 were the construction and commissioning of environmental protection facilities of the new sinter plant No. 5, as well as the construction of dust collection systems in the sinter and coal preparation shops. Sinter plant No. 5 is equipped with 20 modern high-performance environmental protection facilities and uses the best available technologies. The commissioning of the new sinter plant will make it possible to decommission the outdated equipment at sinter plant No. 4. As a result, dust emissions will be reduced by half, a fourfold reduction in sulphur dioxide emissions and a sixteen-fold reduction in benzopyrene emissions. By the end of 2019-2020, it is expected to reduce dust emissions from the sinter plant by 2,075 tonnes and sulphur dioxide emissions by 3500 tonnes.

Thanks to the earlier reconstruction of the circulation water supply system with the expansion of the cooler reservoir, in 2019, MMK completely stopped the disposal of pollutants into the Magnitogorsk reservoir. The company also planted 1000 bush seedlings from outside of the dam and released more than 200 thousand carp fry into the reservoir. In 2019, Magnitogorsk continued a large-scale landscaping programme, as part of which 2,630 tree seedlings were planted in the city.

Implementation of the environmental programme has reduced the level of harmful impact on the environment. Total emissions of pollutants in 2019 decreased by 1.2 thousand tonnes compared to 2018, and total discharges of pollutants into water bodies decreased by 2.4 times. In sinter production, 1.8 million tonnes of production waste were used as secondary material resources, and 10.569 million tonnes of metallurgical slags were processed at specialised plants. In August 2019, the international certification body TUV NORD CERT GmbH (Germany) conducted a supervisory audit of the environmental management system at MMK for compliance with the requirements of the international standard ISO 14001 (2015 version) and approved the performance of the system.

Continuous reduction and prevention of harmful effects on the environment is a mandatory element of MMK's strategy aimed at the long-term and sustainable development of the Company. The plant is implementing a 'Clean City' strategic initiative which should decrease the integrated air pollution index in Magnitogorsk to 5 units by 2025, giving the city 'clean city' status. At the same time, there are plans to reduce total emissions in Magnitogorsk by 20%, and emissions of the most harmful hazard class 1 and 2 substances by 10 times. A key role in achieving these goals should be played by the construction of modern environmental protection facilities at new production plants for sinter, coke and blast furnace production processes: sinter plant No.5 launched in 2019 and a new coke plant No.12, as well as a new blast furnace, are scheduled for commissioning. The launch of these units will allow one sinter plant, five old coke plants and three blast furnaces to be decommissioned.