ArcelorMittal : Ostrava commissions 13 new investments that will cut dust emissions to historic low

Ostrava, May 11, 2016

New technologies worth US$84m (CZK2bn) - the largest environmental investment made at the plant in the past five years - have been installed at ArcelorMittal Ostrava, in the Czech Republic.

Czech industry minister Jan Mládek and environment minister Richard Brabec visited ArcelorMittal Ostrava on 10 May to officially commission 13 environmental investments at the steel plant, which produces more than 2 million tonnes of steel a year.

The new technology, which goes beyond European Union legislation requirements, will capture an additional 520 tonnes of dust emissions a year. Thanks to a 94-tonne drop in stack emissions, the plant's overall particulate-based stack emissions are to be reduced to the lowest level in the history of the mill - to one quarter compared with 2003, when the Ostrava mill joined ArcelorMittal. The new filters also capture emissions of dioxins and benzo(a)pyrene.

As the technology installed takes the plant beyond EU emission requirements, ArcelorMittal Ostrava has received EU subsidies worth around US$67m (CZK1.6bn) to support the project.

Speaking at the event, Vijay Mahadevan, the new CEO and chairman of the board of directors of ArcelorMittal Ostrava said:
'I am honoured to take over this plant in such an excellent condition. It met European [emissions] limits as early as 2012 but it continued investing in the further reduction of its environmental footprint. With the support of the EU, 13 projects have been completed in the past year and this year, particulate-based stack emissions will go down to one quarter compared with the situation before Ostrava became part of ArcelorMittal'.

Environment minister Richard Brabec added:
'I am convinced that the installation of the cutting-edge best available techniques in ArcelorMittal Ostrava and the lowering of dust emissions by 520 tonnes a year will contribute to a better air quality in the Moravian-Silesian Region, especially when added to other measures that the Ministry of Environment has implemented in the region in the long term'.

Minister of Industry and Trade Jan Mládek said:
'The steel industry is important to the Czech economy. I believe that environmental investments worth billions will offer a competitive edge to Czech companies operating on the international market in the future, even though now [these investments] require extra expenditure and cost competitiveness risks with respect to companies whose environmental standards are not as high. I am pleased that today, I have seen the future of this industry'.

The additional 520-tonne emissions drop includes both stack emissions (around 94 tonnes) and fugitive emissions, lowering the total annual particulate-based stack emissions to around 490 tonnes.

ArcelorMittal Ostrava - the 13 investments officially commissioned on 10 May 2016

• Reducing emissions by modernising sinter plant de-dusting south
• De-dusting of waggon tiplers, sinter plant north and south
• De-dusting of cooling belts, sinter plant south
• De-dusting of cooling belts, sinter plant north
• De-dusting of cast house, blast furance 3
• De-dusting of cast house, blast furanace 2
• De-dusting of torpedo cars cleaning stations
• De-dusting system for ore bridge loading trays
• Reduction of fugitive emissions on material routes, sinter plant north
• Increase efficiency of de-dusting on material routes, sinter plant north
• De-dusting system for charging blast furnace 3
• De-dusting system for charging blast furnace 2
• De-dusting system for coke plant quenching tower

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