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.   

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The National Environmental Award was established in 2003.  It is awarded to socially responsible companies that are developing and implementing environmental, energy- and resource-saving technologies.  This is the second time that NLMK has won this competition. In 2008 the Company received the award in the category of “Reporting in Sustainable Development” for its “Corporate Social Report 2007,” which was prepared according to the GRI international non-financial reporting guidelines. NLMK follows a consistent policy which aims to control and reduce its adverse environmental impact. NLMK’s Environmental Management System has been certified for compliance in accordance with the international standard ISO 14001-2004. In 2010 the Company successfully passed the annual compliance audit conducted by the certification authority TÜV Rheinland Cert GmbH (Germany).