Environmental Policy
Interpipe pays particular attention to compliance with environmental regulations and standards.
Each Interpipe site has a separate environmental policy that is consistent with the Company's overall policy.
Environmental management
Interpipe is committed to safe production and high environmental standards at its facilities.
The Company's industrial assets are certified in accordance with international environmental standards ISO 14001 and ISO 45001. Interpipe's facilities also comply with the standards set out in the Law of Ukraine on Air Protection and Order No. 108 of the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Ukraine, taking into account the requirements of the State Sanitary Rules.
Interpipe regularly invests in maintaining high environmental standards at its operations. In 2019–2020, the Company allocated UAH 197.5 million for environmental protection measures. The main activities include the following:
- air protection;
- recycled water treatment in a closed production cycle;
- rational waste management;
- protection and restoration of soil, groundwater and surface water;
- reducing noise and vibration impact;
- green spaces near industrial assets;
- measuring background air emission concentration at Interpipe Steel;
- installing energy-saving lighting (LED lamps) at the facilities;
- installing an oil refinement unit in the tub for preserving pipe bundles from mechanical impurities and water;
- monitoring air and soil conditions at the sanitary protection zone boundary and the areas affected by the production assets;
- purchasing dust collectors for Interpipe's production assets;
- updating the heat supply system at Interpipe NMPP;
- conducting recertification audits of the environmental management and occupational health and safety system in accordance with international standards.
Green Metallurgy
Interpipe is one of the leaders in industrial sector decarbonisation in Ukraine and Europe.
We started fighting climate change and reducing CO2 emissions before the early 2010s, when we decided to close down our dirty open-hearth steel production. In 2012, Interpipe launched an innovative electric steel-melting complex that has minimal greenhouse gas emissions.
Interpipe Steel is the largest environmental investment in the Ukrainian industry since the country's independence, worth around $1 billion.
Built in accordance with the most stringent environmental requirements of the European Union, Interpipe Steel's electric steel-melting complex is a true flagship of green metallurgy in Ukraine. With emissions of less than 300 kg of CO2 per tonne of steel, our plant is among the best in the European steel industry in this respect.
Currently, out of the 3 known steelmaking technologies, only electrometallurgy allows us to meet the standards of the European Green Deal, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030. The launch of Interpipe Steel to replace the outdated, environmentally unfriendly open-hearth production reduced CO2 emissions by 10 times, natural gas consumption by 8 times and harmful substances by 2.5 times.
From then onwards, every investment project of the Company has always had an environmental component. For example, further reduction of CO2 and other harmful substance emissions, waste management and improving energy efficiency at production.
Currently, our CO2 emission reduction rates are already exceeding the European Green Deal targets for 2030.
The main factors contributing to our low carbon footprint are our own electric steel production, using scrap metal as the main raw material for decarbonisation and the use of low-carbon electricity.
Energy efficiency
Interpipe is committed to energy efficiency at production. The Company's industrial assets are certified in accordance with international energy management system standard ISO 50001.
The company regularly invests in energy efficiency projects. For example, in recent years, Interpipe's assets had the following:
- energy-saving lighting (LED lamps) installed in the main workshop areas;
- the heat supply system at Interpipe NMPP upgraded;
- recertification audits conducted in accordance with the requirements of ISO 50001.
“Green” Shipments”
Interpipe promotes sustainable development principles and supplies products for environmentally friendly alternative energy projects. For example, the Company supplied pipe products for the construction of the following power plants:
- offshore wind farms in the North Sea;
- offshore wind farms in Taiwan;
- geothermal power plants in Turkey;
- geothermal power plants in Hungary.
