ENVIRONMENT

Environmental measures are our priority. That is why at each stage of the production process we take care to maximise the use of production waste and reduce possible impact on the environment.

Considering the above, Re Alloys analyses environmental aspects and monitors influence on the environment. We declare that we observe the requirements imposed by law, environmental programmes and regulations; we also take measures in the field of environmental protection that go beyond the external requirements.   We constantly improve and introduce solutions which minimise our negative impact on the environment.

Ongoing actions for the environment

Re Alloys carries out a range of activities aimed exclusively at reducing the environmental impact of the plant’s operations. Ensuring an appropriate level of environmental protection involves incurring substantial costs resulting from the need to maintain numerous complex and expensive installations, such as the Water Treatment Station or the high-efficiency flue gas dedusting system.

CLIMATE CHALLENGES

In the next years, the involvement in a low-emission economy will be the main challenge for the company. Not only will this allow avoiding adverse effect of the climate change but it will also be our contribution to the fight against the climate change. For full identification of factors which apply to us, we carry out ongoing analysis, what has been presented in the document Environmental aspects and environmental risk analysis. In response to the identified threats and opportunities, the Going Green Strategy  has been devised and it indicates the main directions for the organisation’s growth. Based on the strategy, ongoing preventive measures are being taken.

CLIMATE CHALLENGES

In the next years, the involvement in a low-emission economy will be the main challenge for the company. Not only will this allow avoiding adverse effect of the climate change but it will also be our contribution to the fight against the climate change. For full identification of factors which apply to us, we carry out ongoing analysis, what has been presented in the document Environmental aspects and environmental risk analysis. In response to the identified threats and opportunities, the Going Green Strategy  has been devised and it indicates the main directions for the organisation’s growth. Based on the strategy, ongoing preventive measures are being taken.

RELEASES INTO THE ENVIRONMENT

The Plant’s operations are conducted on the basis of an integrated permit issued by the Silesian Voivode. This permit ensures a high level of environmental protection, taking into account the requirements of the Best Available Techniques (BAT) as set out in the implementing decisions of the European Commission and in Polish legislation.

GHG EMISSIONS

The nature of the production process is inherently linked to its impact on the natural environment through emissions into the air. Reducing this impact is a priority for us. We are committed to ongoing efforts to minimise our environmental footprint and to applying the principle of continuous improvement to both our environmental management system and our pro-environmental activities. In addition, annual environmental fees are paid for the plant’s impact on the environment. These fees finance environmental tasks carried out by public institutions.

Our GHG emission reports are verified by an independent auditor and are regularly submitted to the relevant environmental authorities.

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

In our activities we aim at full compliance with the applicable law and other regulations and provisions regarding the environmental protection, as well as with the voluntarily adopted requirements of the ISO 14001 norm.  In the Environmental Policy  and in the Environmental Management System Manual we undertake to take continuous measures for minimising the negative impact on the environment and to apply the principle of constant improvement of the environmental management system and our environmental activity. The environmental management system used in our organisation is assessed by independent auditors, what is confirmed by the ISO 14001 Certificate.

WASTE

At the Plant, we supervise the waste management and we proceed with waste in compliance with the law. The waste generated by the Plant undergoes the recovery process at the Plant or is submitted to entities having the required administrative decision on the waste collection in place.  Each tonne of waste leaving the premises of the Plant goes to verified and authorised entity.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION HAND IN HAND WITH ECONOMY

Pro-environmental initiatives are not only about reducing our impact on the surroundings, but also bring tangible benefits to the Company. Thanks to a range of environmental measures — including the rational management of waste, the dedusting of post-reaction gases and the recovery of heat from the production process — we are able to minimise our costs.

The heat recovered from the production process fully covers our needs for the central heating and domestic hot water systems. Previously, the required heat had to be purchased in large quantities from an external district heating network, which generated additional CO₂ emissions at the source. 

WE PROTECT WATER RESOURCES OF OUR REGION

In order to minimise water consumption by the Company, all industrial water is obtained by re-using of social sewage and rainwater from the combined sewer system. The water treatment is conducted on the water treatment station. It allows restoring properties to used water what makes it fit for re-use as cooling water.

The effect of water treatment in the Company is:

  • abandoning surface waters abstraction,
  • limitation of groundwater abstraction,
  • reduction of the amount of sewage released into the environment.

WATER CONSUMPTION IN THE PLANT.

Water from the water supply network is used for social and industrial purposes. Industrial consumption is primarily:

  • supply of water demineralisation stations for internal cooling systems of the furnace units,
  • replenishment of cooling systems in the event of a shortage or poor quality of industrial water (during periods without rain),
  • filling tanks of fire extinguishing systems,
  • production of water and dust mixture,
  • maintenance of cleanliness of production facilities and prevention of dusting of raw materials.

Groundwater from SŁG-1 water intake, due to its very low quality, undergoes the coagulation process in the water treatment station (Stacja Odnowy Wody / SOW) and, along with reclaimed water, it is used to replenish cooling systems.

Industrial water is used to replenish external cooling systems. The systems are used to cool the furnace units at furnace buildings (Piecownie) no. I and II – the Central Pumping Station (Pompownia Centralna) and furnace building no. IV – the central pumping station, furnace building no. IV. Water loss is proportional to the amount of heat received by the cooling tower.

WATER SUPPLY SOURCES

1. Tap water is purchased from RPWiK Tychy. The companies have three water connections located at:

  • Cieszyńska (at the railway gate).
  • Wyzwolenia, next to the dust collector.
  • Wyzwolenia next to SOW.

2. Groundwater is obtained from the water intake SŁG-1 with the following parameters:

  • total depth – 18 m,
  • location of aquifer – 13.5 ÷ 14.7 below the ground level
  • maximum capacity – 6 m3/h.
  • at  S = 7.86 below the ground level

The water intake is located in the water treatment station (Stacja Odnowy Wody). The collected water is treated in the process of coagulation and it is used to replenish the cooling systems.

3. Water is recovered from sewage flowing into the combined sewer system. 

Sewage is treated in a biological wastewater treatment plant and collected in two retention reservoirs with a total working capacity of approximately 3,300 m3. Pre-treated sewage is treated in decarbonisation, coagulation and filtration processes. The excess of treated wastewater is discharged into trench G (Rów G).