Operational Plan for the Environmental Protection from Metallurgical Dusts in Ukraine

1. Operational Plan for the Environmental Protection from Metallurgical Dusts in Ukraine Presentation by Prof. Panias Project Coordinator ENPRODUS Project (INCO – CT – 2006 518693)

2. The Operational Plan proposed for Ukraine • Is an Integrated Strategy with proposals that: • should be considered by the metallurgical industry in order to eliminate the emission of dusts and thus, to minimize the interactions between metallurgical activities and environment • should be considered by the European Commission in its future strategic plan and policy priorities for research and technological development in the field of metallurgy in this geographical area

3. Production Technologies In general … • The production methods (flow sheets) currently followed in the Ukrainian metallurgical plants are in accordance with the BAT. • The metallurgical equipment used in the different production stages are considered as BAT in the EU. The only deviation … • The Open-hearth furnaces used in steelmaking are not included in the BAT. In this stage, the Basic Oxygen Furnace is considered as BAT.

4. Dust abatement techniques In general … • In almost all the production stages, dust abatement systems are used. These systems are considered as BAT. • There is a quite low percentage of dusts that are not collected and finally released into the atmosphere. • Primary aluminium production: 1,01 % • Iron and Steel production: 6,82 % • Ferroalloys production: 5,14 % (FeMn), 2,16 % (FeSi) and 4,88 % (SiMn) This low percentage is mainly due to … • The deficiency of dust abatement systems in the stages of storage, handling and pre-processing of raw materials. • The low efficiency of certain abatement techniques used for dusts collection.

5. Dust management technologies In general … • There is a quite high percentage of the collected dusts that are recycled, re-used or utilized. • Primary aluminium production: 6,53 % • Iron and steel production: 92,74 % • Ferroalloys production: 65,82 % (FeMn), 6,99 % (FeSi) and 17,76 % (SiMn) But, there are two important issues that should be considered … • The red mud generated in the stage of alumina production ( 93,43 % of the collected dusts) is landfilled. • The dusts collected in the stage of melting in the ferroalloys production are also landfilled (FeMn: 29,03 %, FeSi: 92,52 %, SiMn: 77,67 %).

6. Proposals – Raw materials storage, handling and pre-processing Recommended BATs: • Sealed delivery and storage systems. • Well designed enclosed conveyors. • Wet grinding, blending and pelletizing systems, if other techniques for the control of dust are not possible or appropriate. • Completely closed buildings equipped with special filter devices for the storage of dusty raw materials. No field for technology development

7. Proposals – Efficient dust abatement Recommended BATs to increase the efficiency of abatement systems: • Choice and design of a suitable abatement technique, or combination of techniques, that takes into account the characteristics of each dust. • Fabric or Bag Filters • Hot Electrostatic Precipitators • Wet Electrostatic Precipitators • Ceramic Filters • Wet scrubbers • Cyclones No field for technology development • Group of cyclones • Cyclones in combination with Bag filter or EP

8. Proposals – Management of dusts Recommended BATs: • Recycling, re-use and utilization of dusts with an economic interest. • If there is not any economic interest for the collected dusts, safe discharge into a landfill, according to the environmental requirements and standards. Potential field for technology development

9. Emerging Research Priorities • The Research and Technological Development of new technologies related to the utilization of metallurgical dusts is necessary and urgent. • European Commission ought to direct its RTD policy priorities in this field in order for the metallurgical industry to face the challenges for Sustainable Development.