Russian Federation aluminium titan U.C. Rusal announced yesterday a project to modernize the reduction area at the Krasnoyarsk aluminum smelter (KrAZ) to a new eco-friendly pitch made from a more sustainable raw material.
Per the firm, the eco-friendly pitch will be made from a material that is less tarry, and its use will be less impactful upon the environment than before. As a result of this and other improvements at the plant, the firm estimates a reduction in benzapyrene emissions of 60 percent or more in the coming years.
Vitaly Badmaev, first Deputy Minister of ecology and environmental management of the Krasnoyarsk territory, elaborated upon the project.
“The transition to the eco – friendly pitch at a production facility is a complex technological process. The environmental efficiency from using the material is confirmed by laboratory tests conducted by the RUSAL’s engineering and technology center (ETC). We are glad to see that RUSAL has been initiating and implementing the most favourable environmental solutions at KrAZ for more than 15 years whilst also interacting with authorities and the locals.”
Viktor Mann, Rusal’s technical director, said that converting the firm’s plants to more eco-friendly technology was a top priority.
“The transition to a new eco – friendly type of raw material developed by the RUSAL engineering center at the Krasnoyarsk aluminum smelter is not a simple process; it is very dependent on suppliers who must modernize their own production. We also continue to invest in R&D and work with suppliers who could produce both this and other types of eco – friendly raw materials for us in the required volume, because environmental issues are an absolute priority today.”
Rusal began the modernization process at KrAZ 16 years ago and included the installation of a new gas treatment system, automating production at the plant, and installing new dry anodes. Rusal subsequently updated the plant’s reduction cells to a system that utilizes the EcoSoderberg process.
As a result of the above upgrades, Rusal estimates the plant’s emissions are over four times less than they were in 1980.