Uzvtortsvetmet to direct US$7 million for modernization of environment protection systems

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) – Uzvtorcvetmet within a specially designed "road map" plans to direct US$6.8 million for the modernization of the systems that are responsible for environmental security by the end of 2021, the General Director of the enterprise Konstantin Akulov said.

He said that the company faced certain issues in terms of impacts to the environment for a long time. He added that the equipment of the enterprise will not be modernized since Soviet times.

Akulov said that there were changes after SFI Management received the company. The company started to implement modernization programme.

“Since that time, we have been implementing a set of measures to upgrade treatment facilities and introduce technologies for the processing and disposal of slag," he said.

According to him, design and survey works on updating and modernization of treatment facilities in the shops for the production of lead, aluminum and copper alloys, as well as in the shop for the processing of scrap and non-ferrous metals are currently being completed.

In addition, he added, a special "road map" for the joint work of "Uzvtortsvetmet" and the branch of "MISIS" for the development and implementation of slag processing technologies was approved.

"Another important area of work is the joint action plan adopted on our initiative to strengthen cooperation between law enforcement and regulatory authorities in preventing illegal procurement, acquisition, use and sale of non-ferrous metals, their scrap and waste. It includes items to strengthen control over the environmental situation and compliance with environmental legislation in the foundries and adjacent territories, as well as sanitary standards of products," Akulov said.

He also noted that the population living in the Sergeli district of the capital, where the enterprise is located, has nothing to worry about. Today Uzvtortsvetmet meets all requirements of the domestic legislation on emissions and doesn’t represent any danger to inhabitants. At the same time, after the completion of modernization, the company will be able to compete for the title of the most environmentally friendly industrial facility not only in Uzbekistan, but throughout Central Asia.

"We do not allow burning of combustible substances and building materials, as well as leaves and branches of trees. It’s strictly forbidden. Also now strict control on prevention of spill of oil products is carried out, the territory of plant is cleared of industrial waste. Gradually we get rid of the accumulated slag, selling it to the domestic market and for export. And this is only a small part of the huge complex of work that we carry out to ensure environmental protection," the General Director of the enterprise said.

According to him, Uzbekistan today has one of the strongest environmental legislation in the CIS and if the company did not meet environmental standards, it would have been closed long ago.