Watershed protection

In 2013, Azovstal solved the problem of the contaminated soil and wastewater stored in its sludge collector overflowing. The solution was to supply sludge as a raw material to Ilyich Steel’s sinter plant, which has nearly eliminated waste discharges into the Sea of Azov from the plant. Instead, the purified water from the sludge collector is discharged with a content of suspended substances of 15-36 mg per litre (well below the legal limit of 36 mg per litre). Our laboratory research has shown that the seawater pumped into the plant from the Sea of Azov has a worse chemical composition than the purified water discharged back into the sea.

The slag is recycled at Ilyich Steel for further reuse in its BF and BOF shops to produce new products, including granulated slag and a sand-gravel mixture, which are used in construction.

Avdiivka Coke has installed a system that recycles wastewater from its sludge collector for use in its coal washing plant. This results in the reutilisation of 190,000 cubic metres of drainage water (more than 8% of the total discharge) every year, reducing the amount of pollutants by 18.3%. In Recovery Shop no. 2, Avdiivka Coke has improved the quality of its wastewater treatment system for removing phenols, decreasing the risks of untreated wastewater entering the watershed.