Norilsk Nickel’s fight against sulphur dioxide emissions and other kinds of pollution, its actions to protect the environment

In October Norilsk Nickel’s management stated that pollution control, environmental protection and fight against sulphur dioxide emissions remain among the company’s top priorities.

Not only Norilsk but the whole world suffers from bad ecology and environmental damage regularly. That’s why it’s important that the industrial enterprise pays attention to environmental issues.

The projects of Norilsk Nickel aimed to keep the environment from pollution

Nornickel implements different projects devoted to ecology and nature preservation both locally and globally and provides financial support and assistance to those who actively fight against pollution.

Norilsk pollution level decreases annually due to the measures taken by the leading industrial giant.

Norilsk Nickel fights against environmental damage and does its utmost in order to protect the environment. It takes care of air and water protection (the red river issue caused by diesel spill has already been solved), investigates climate change issues, pays attention to biodiversity conservation as well as tries to find new ways for wise waste management and efficient use of natural resources.

Nornickel fights pollution by taking the following steps:

  • modernization of the technologies and existing facilities
  • taking part in projects devoted to biodiversity conservation
  • participating in the discussions about climate change issues and global warming processes
  • reducing of emissions on a regular basis
  • construction of new recovery units and water cycle systems
  • searching for new ways of recycling
  • solving the so-called problem of red river – eliminating the consequences of a diesel fuel spill
  • taking care of Norilsk people’s health and life expectancy

In July, 2020 Nornickel organized the Great Norilsk expedition in cooperation with leading scientists from 14 RAS institutions.

The scientists collected more than 1500 samples of plants, soils, sediment and water. The results of the laboratory stage should be very important. They definitely help Norilsk Nickel to continue fighting against environmental damage in the Arctic region.

Norilsk Nickel against sulphur dioxide emissions and other kinds of pollution

Norilsk Nickel actively combats sulphur dioxide emissions in the regions of its operations by implementing diverse projects devoted to environmental protection. This type of pollution has a negative effect on the health and life expectancy of residents of Norilsk and other industrial cities.

The company has been working on the Sulphur project for a long time as it understands the importance of eliminating industrial production consequences and reducing SO2 emissions.

Due to the measures taken by Nornickel, Norilsk level of sulphur dioxide emissions has decreased so far. 

Norilsk Nickel has been working on the Sulphur project for several years and it has already resulted in:

  • Talnakh concentrator and Nadezhda Plant expansion and upgrade
  • Shutdown of Nickel Plant
  • total reduction of SO2 emission in the Norilsk residential area by 30%
  • total reduction of SO2 emissions in the Polar Division by 15% in general
  • elimination of 600 sources of air pollution
  • two wastewater discharge points shutdown

According to the plans by 2023 1.5–1.7 mtpa of sulphur dioxide will be captured and 280 ktpa of elemental sulphur and 5 mtpa of gypsum will be converted.

Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Times of Chennai journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.