URALCHEM Increased Funding for Environmental Programs in 2012 and Improved its Environmental Performance

MOSCOW, RUSSIA, April 26, 2013 (Press-News.org) In 2012, the URALCHEM group increased funding for environmental programs to 465.6 million roubles. This represents an increase of more than 28% compared with 2011. Successful projects included new modern processing facilities and treatment systems, industrial waste recycling and reclamation of previously polluted sites.

The Azot branch of URALCHEM in Berezniki in 2012 implemented an environmental programme costing a total of more than 44 million roubles. During the year, factory emissions were reduced by 3%, concentration of monoethanolamine pollutants in waste water was reduced by 37% and suspended substances pollutants by 11%, oxides of nitrogen emissions were reduced by 10% and carbon monoxide emissions decreased by 9%.

MFP Kirovo-Chepetsk Chemical Works in Kirovo-Chepetsk in 2012 spent 259 million roubles on environmental measures. During the year, emissions decreased to 52.5% of the limits set by the regulators, compared with 57.8% in 2011. New technical equipment was commissioned and gas cleaning systems were modernized. One of the highlights was the completion of work to eliminate the liquid phase at the 6th section of the chalk tailings storage facility. This work is part of a large, multi-year reclamation project being carried out on the facility.

Minudobrenia in Perm in 2012 spent more than 70 million roubles on environmental activities. Because of the specific type of production at the facility, 90% of costs are related to the improvement of water management through technology improvement projects. These projects reduce water consumption by eliminating leaks in water supply and sewage networks. This is particularly important in light of the fact that the enterprise does not discharge waste water to the surface waters.

URALCHEM's enterprise in Voskresensk in 2012 spent 92 million roubles on environmental projects. Among the main activities were the modernization of equipment and the improvement of technological processes in the major manufacturing plants, as well as in the shops for the neutralization and treatment of industrial waste water.

Dmitry Konyaev, CEO of URALCHEM commented: "URALCHEM attaches great importance to the preservation of the environment and pursues a deliberate and transparent environmental policy in the regions where it operates. One of the most important results of our work has been the fact that in 2012 all our enterprises have kept well within the limits for permissible concentrations of pollutants set by the government regulators."

URALCHEM, OJSC is one of the largest producers of nitrogen and phosphate fertilisers in Russia and the CIS with production capacities of over 2.5 million tonnes of ammonium nitrate, 2.8 million tonnes of ammonia, 0.8 million tonnes of MAP and DAP, 0.8 million tonnes of complex fertilisers and 1.2 million tonnes of urea. URALCHEM, OJSC is the second largest ammonium nitrate producer in the world and number one in Russia, the second largest producer of nitrogen fertilisers in Russia. Key production assets of URALCHEM, OJSC include Azot Branch of URALCHEM, OJSC in Berezniki, Perm Region; OJSC Minudobrenia, Perm; MFP Kirovo-Chepetsk Chemical Works, OJSC Branch in Kirovo-Chepetsk, Kirov region; Voskresensk Mineral Fertilisers, OJSC in Voskresensk, Moscow region.

Website: www.uralchem.com