Cherkassy Azot to invest UAH 171 million in environmental programmes

Over 2010-2014, PJSC Azot (Cherkassy), part of OSTCHEM holding (consolidates nitrogen chemicals assets of Group DF), will invest UAH 171 million in environmental projects aimed at minimizing its production impact on the natural environment, announced Vitaliy Sklyarov, Chairman of the Board of PJSC Azot.

 

“Protection and preservation of our region’s natural ecosystem is one of the priority goals of Cherkassy Azot modernization. Since 2010, we have already invested over UAH 60 million in environmental projects. It resulted in reduced emissions of ammonium nitrate dust by 60 tons a year; carbons – by 1.1 tons a year; nitrogen dioxide – by 110 tons a year; and ammonia – by 5 tons a year. Within the next two years we will allocate another UAH 111 million, of which 30 million will be allocated as early as in 2013”, noted Vitaliy Sklyarov.

 

According to Mr. Sklyarov, the most significant environmental projects of Cherkassy Azot for 2013 include improvement of the company’s treatment facilities and modernization of ammonia production.

 

In particular, by the end of 2013 Cherkassy Azot plans to improve wastewater treatment process through the reduction of solid waste volumes. “Starting from 1992, Azot has been treating not only its production wastewater, but also the wastewater of several residential districts of the city, plus liquid waste of other producers in the region”, said Zoya Khorolska, environmental protection officer at PJSC Azot. “Wastewater treatment produces silt, which is a solid waste settling down on silt fields of out treatment facilities. Such waste is conserved at a special storage facility. To prevent overfilling of this storage facility with limited capacity and which has been in operation for a long period of time already, we are investing more than UAH 7.5 million to reduce solid waste formation”.

Furthermore, in 2013, Azot will allocate UAH 2.5 million on development of projects aimed at modernization of cyclohexanone production (construction of a reaction gas treatment facility) and ammonium nitrate production (reconstruction of a discharge purification facility).

 

According to the information provided by Azot’s industrial and sanitary laboratory, actual ammonia concentration in the inhabited area amounts to 70% of the limits, while nitrogen peroxide and carbon oxide concentration amounts to 60% and 30% respectively. As for cyclohexanone, cyclohexanol and carbon oil – there is no discharge whatsoever. The implemented environmental programs make it possible to reduce the discharge of ammonia by 301 tons and carbamide by 116.3 tons in 2013.

 

According to Oleksandr Khalin, OSTCHEM Director General, “Reduction of environmental impact is one of the priorities of our corporate responsibility. By investing in environmental protection, we take care of the health, comfort and well-being of our employees and local communities, as well as improving competitiveness of our products on the global markets”. Mr. Khalin reminded that Azot has already been certified under the ISO 14001 ecological management standard. This allowed the company to participate in tenders abroad.

 

NOTE

 

PJSC Azot (Cherkassy), part of OSTCHEM holding (Group DF), is specialized in production of nitrogen mineral fertilizers (ammonia, urea, ammonium nitrate, UAN), caprolactam, ion exchange resins and other products. The company employs around 4.5 people.