In 2020, URALCHEM JSC increased funding for activities related to environmental protection by 15 % compared to 2019. The total investment amounted to 987 million rubles.

Improving environmental safety and environmental protection is the key element in URALCHEM's priorities. The company regularly works to improve technological processes in branches, upgrade and reconstruct treatment plants, carry out production and analytical control of pollutant emissions generated during operations.

In 2020, the employees of JSC "VMU" continued to implement projects related to the renovation and repair of technological equipment, and helping to reduce the environmental stress. The dust and gas collecting units were repaired and reconstructed to maintain their efficiency. In the Voskresensky and Yegoryevsky districts of the Moscow Area, industrial wastewaters are treated by the treatment facilities of the industrial wastewater neutralization and treatment department. To increase the efficiency of contamination retention, the department carried out a major overhaul of turbo gas blowers of various brands and replaced the aeration system in the aeration tank. In addition, to improve the quality of wastewater in the TPP shop, the filtering material in mechanical filters was replaced, and a range of works was performed in the water supply and sewerage shop – cooling towers were repaired, storm sewer pipelines were overhauled, reagents were purchased, and reagent treatment in water circulation cycles was performed.

Azot Branch began work on a program for automatic control of atmospheric emissions. The new system should provide automation of measurements, control over accounting of emission indicators. The software will transfer the necessary information to the state register of industrial facilities. Another large project was implemented – the installation of a pulsating centrifuge in the nitrite-nitrate salts shop. The introduction of new equipment will reduce the concentration of nitrite ion and petroleum products coming from the unit to the industrial canal with wastewater. In 2020, a pumping unit was installed at the enterprise to burn waste oils.

From year to year, PMF Branch in Perm works without exceeding the limits of impact on the environment. The plant does not discharge wastewater into open water bodies. Payment for their transfer for additional treatment to a third-party organization under a contract is a significant part of the costs of environmental protection measures. Separate waste collection is carried out at the plant: scrap metal, waste paper, polypropylene containers and films, waste mineral oils are transferred for recycling. The quality of atmospheric air along the limits of the adjacent sanitary protection zone of the PMF Branch production site and along the limits of the nearest residential area is monitored under an agreement with a specialized organization that has an accredited laboratory. During 2020, 400 samples for ammonia and 400 samples for nitrogen dioxide were taken. None of them exceeded the maximum permissible concentrations of these substances.

As in previous years, the KCKK Branch paid special attention to environmental issues. Work continued on the decommissioning of electrical equipment containing persistent organic pollutants (polychlorinated biphenyls) in accordance with the requirements of the Stockholm Convention. A system of centralized solid waste removal has been established and tested. The program of industrial environmental control has been completed. The data of eco-analytical control has confirmed that the amount of pollutants does not exceed the established limits. The upgrade of the existing industrial waste treatment plants continued, the heat exchange equipment and production pipelines were replaced. To eliminate even minimum risks of spills entering the ground and industrial storm communications in case of emergency, large-scale work was carried out to repair acid-resistant floors and upgrade the pallets of tank equipment.

URALCHEM’s active work of in the field of environmental protection is confirmed by the fact that in November 2020 the PMF Branch successfully passed Bureau Veritas Certification audit for compliance with the requirements of the international environmental standard ISO 14001:2015. In addition, in July 2020, within the framework of the recertification audit under the Protect & Sustain program, the International Fertilizer Industry Association improved its rating and confirmed its Stewardship Excellence title.

Within the scope of the URALCHEM Education and Science program, URALCHEM regularly participates and partners in various events aimed at increasing environmental awareness of the population. The KCKK Branch continued its cooperation with environmental public organizations and the universities of the Kirov Region in scientific areas for minimizing the negative impact of activities on the environment. Together with representatives of the administration of Kirovo-Chepetsk, educational institutions of the city, and deputies of the Kirovo-Chepetsk City Duma, employees of the enterprise carried out environmental events and initiatives. Voskresensk Mineral Fertilizers JSC once again supported the scientific and educational game "Vivat, Science!" — a large-scale educational project of the natural science club of teachers and schoolchildren called "Himbios". In 2020, students of 28 educational institutions of Voskresensk took part in the intellectual competition.

Every year, URALCHEM employees participate in environmental campaigns for waste paper collection and city clean-ups. In 2020, a large number of employees joined the All-Russian Ecological Dictation, for which special sites were organized in the branches.