ArcelorMittal Ostrava puts into operation its new environmental investment project – dust control facility for scull-cutting.

At the beginning of July, ArcelorMittal Ostrava completed a new environmental investment project – dust control facility for scull-cutting. The investment was worth over US$ 1 million. It completely eliminates red fumes produced during the flame-cutting process and significantly decreases dust emissions from the workplace that is a part of the scrap yard at the ArcelorMittal Ostrava’s Steel Plant.

Cutting dust from flame-cutting

As the materials are prepared as charge for the tandem furnaces, some of the pieces of scull can be several meters long and weigh more than 20 tonnes - so they need to be cut into smaller pieces in order to be suitable as charge. This is done by means of flame-cutting. Before the investment, red fumes generated by flame-cutting were emitted into the air; but with the new equipment, these emissions are now captured and filtered. Petr Baranek, Chief Green Officer of ArcelorMittal Ostrava explains, “this equipment will substantially reduce the amount of dust emissions, no other mills or scrap yards in this region have such a facility.”

Below the law

The inauguration of the dust control facility for scull-cutting was held in the presence of the mayors of surrounding towns, journalists, and the top management of the company that had supplied the equipment to ArcelorMittal Ostrava. “We are glad that even in the hard times caused by the economic crisis we have been able to install this equipment. It again proves that environmental investments remain one of our highest priorities,” said Augustine Kochuparampil, Chief Executive Officer of ArcelorMittal Ostrava. Miroslav Novak, Deputy Governor of the Moravian Silesian region added, “by putting this new equipment into operation, ArcelorMittal Ostrava is entering a new phase in delivering on its environmental commitments. Emissions from this operation will now be well below the limits stipulated by the law.”