Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works (MMK) looked into their environmental management system’s performance in the first half of 2008. The system has actually been certified for compliance with the international ISO 14001: 2004 standard requirements; the analysis of the system’s performance was aimed at enhancing its environmental efficiency.

To meet the enterprise’s Environmental Policy goals in 2008, MMK’s top executives came up with the target indicators that had to be met. So, the company was able to redue the amount of harmful atmospheric emissions by 301.5 tons in the first half of 2008. In addition, 3.6 million tons worth of production waste was used to restore the coffins, and more than 10.5 hectares of land have been reclaimed and improved upon.

MMK’s press officer reports they managed to reduce their activity’s harmful environmental impact while raising their production output at the same time. The enterprise’s lime output, for example, went up by 33.9%, while its coke, sintered ore, iron ore, and steel outputs rose by 11.6%, 7.3%, 8.8%, and 8.3%, respectively, in the first half of the year. Nevertheless, MMK’s specific emissions dropped by 8.7% compared to a year earlier and keep going down.

MMK spent 1.237 billion RUR on environmental projects in January-June 2008, including 568 million RUR worth of investments in capital construction of environmental facilities. According to the findings of the research done on the company’s environmental management system, MMK’s production activity met all the Russian environmental legislative norms as well as the international ISO 14001: 2004 standard regulations.