Ecopolicy in action
Metafrax Chemicals has been systematically working on the environmental friendliness of its production facilities, and operating for many years without exceeding environmental impact standards. This is fully consistent with the Ruschem holding's corporate strategy for improving ecological efficiency.
The total costs of Metafrax Chemicals for environmental protection amounted to 234.2 million rubles in 2024. At the same time, more than half of them – 122.4 million rubles – were allocated for the operation of treatment units, and more than 28 million rubles were allocated for the protection of atmospheric air. More than 40 facilities at Metafrax's production plants are equipped with gas purification and dust-collecting units, which made it possible to capture more than 16 thousand tons of pollutants in 2024.
The quality of atmospheric air within the production area and adjacent territories is under special control. Monitoring is carried out in Gubakha and the village of Severny in terms of methanol and substances, the content of which is determined by emissions from enterprises of the entire industrial hub - ammonia, formaldehyde, sulphur and nitrogen dioxides, dust. In 2024, 3454 samples were collected in the village of Severny. According to the results of atmospheric air monitoring in the area of the Palace of Culture of the village of Severny, the maximum allowable concentrations of these substances were not exceeded.
During 2024, 150 air samples were taken from the atmospheric air of Gubakha, which were analysed for the content of a substance specific to Metafrax Chemicals JSC - methanol. The hygienic standards of atmospheric air quality in Gubakha in terms of methanol were also not exceeded. In addition, the sanitary laboratory conducts regular monitoring of atmospheric air quality at the border of the sanitary protection zone of the enterprise. In 2024, 150 samples were analysed. Studies have shown that the methanol content in the atmospheric air at the northern border of the sanitary protection zone is within the hygienic standards.
In August of 2024, Metafrax Chemicals adopted a new environmental policy. It focuses, the same way as all enterprises of Ruschem JSC do, on environmental safety. Measures are being taken to ensure the safety of production processes and to prevent emergencies that may harm the environment, including staff training and improvement of environmental awareness of employees. Other key areas include increasing the efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, continuing regular monitoring of environmental status, and implementing measures to reduce negative impacts on soil, water, and air. The policy foresees the introduction of new technologies aimed at reducing production waste and reducing the consumption of natural resources.
At its biological treatment plants, Metafrax Chemicals treats not only its own production wastewater, but also household and industrial effluents from Gubakha. In 2024, more than five and a half million cubic meters of wastewater were treated.
The company continued the good tradition of releasing sterlet fry into the rivers of the Kama region. Measures for the artificial reproduction of aquatic biological resources have been implemented by Metafrax on a voluntary basis since 2020. In 2024, 5445 sterlet fry were released in accordance with the recommendations of the specialists of the Middle-Volga Department of the Russian Federal Agency for Fishery.