PrJSC “Rivneazot” will have installed the automated environmental monitoring system to control the air quality. As a part of the project financed by the company, monitoring sensors will be purchased and installed along the perimeter of PrJSC “Rivneazot”.
The system will monitor the air quality in real time, in particular the presence and concentration of pollutants in the ambient air, i.e. the content of carbon monoxide CO, ammonia NH, nitrogen dioxide NO.
According to Mykhaylo Zabluda, Chairman of the Board, PrJSC “Rivneazot”, the decision to install the automated environmental monitoring system to control air quality is associated with the emergency that occurred on July 20, 2021.
“This is our initiative that was supported by public and local authorities. We see a gigantic demand from the community for information about the state of the environment and we want to inform people as much as possible. The system will be certified not only by Ukrainian regulators, but also by independent international auditors who will confirm its compliance with international standards. This is the only way for us to demonstrate that production at PrJSC “Rivneazot” fully complies with all environmental and safety standards,” added Zabluda.
He emphasized that Ostchem holding already has practical experience in building such systems. Earlier, an online monitoring system was installed at Stirol.
PrJSC “Rivneazot” experts have already started the preparatory work to install the new system and are developing all the necessary documentation required to choose a contractor.
This project will be implemented in several stages: holding an international tender and choosing a contractor, concluding the contract with the winning bidder, developing a project, installation and commencement of sensors, setting up automatic analysis and transfer of data to the company’s website, certification. According to preliminary estimates, the entire project will take about 10 months to implement. It is expected that the installation of the monitoring system and certification will be completed by the spring of 2022.
At the moment, PrJSC “Rivneazot” laboratory is constantly monitoring the state of the environment. Wastewater from the industrial site is monitored and controlled twice a day; other wastewaters are controlled three times a month. Test are carried out to determine the level of pH, nitrate, nitrite, sulfate, phosphate, ammonium ions, metals. According to the control schedule approved by the chief engineer, air quality in the working area is monitored on a daily basis, air quality within the sanitary protection and residential areas is controlled three times a week. The ambient air quality at the site of the enterprise is monitored on a daily basis. In particular, the air is tested for the content of gases such as ammonia, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide. On the day when the emergency took place at PrJSC “Rivneazot” the laboratory was working around the clock. All samples showed the level of nitrous gas in the air 3 times lower than the permissible level.
As it was previously reported, additional technical safety checks were carried out at all key production workshops at all enterprises of Ostchem holding; all pipelines and equipment were thoroughly inspected. Also, additional safety briefings and additional safety trainings were carried out for personnel.