Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant (ChMK), a unit of Russia’s steel giant Mechel, has re-started its blast furnace No. 4 and steel converter No. 1 after a major modernization.
The technical re-equipment boosted the capacity of both units by 15%. This means higher tax inflow to the budget and additional opportunities for the company, Nikolai Tsukanov, Presidential Envoy to the Ural Federal District, emphasized. In addition, the project will reduce the emissions from converter No. 1 by 30%, which will benefit the local environment.
The modernization project was implemented as part of an agreement between the company, the regional authorities, the Rosprirodnadzor environmental regulator and the Ministry of Natural Resources.
This initiative was also part of the Clean Air federal program under the Environment National Project.
According to regulators, Chelyabinsk is one of the cities with the worst air pollution situation. According to the Federal State Statistics Service, Chelyabinsk is 9th among Russian cities in terms of air pollution.
ChMK (formerly ChMZ) is one of the largest industrial enterprises in the city. Founded during WWII, the plant is now part of Mechel Group.