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Norilsk Nickel to cut emissions from Pechenganickel

Photo: Barentsphoto.com

Russian mining and metallurgy giant Norilsk Nickel confirms that it has bought cleaning technology for its plant in the border town of Nikel, Norwegian broadcaster NRK reports.

Location

The press service of Norilsk Nickel says to NRK that the cleaning technology will be delivered by a German manufacturer by the end of the year, and that emissions subsequently will be cut dramatically.

Norwegian pressure

The announcement comes as Norwegian authorities are stepping up pressure against the company to cut local sulphure pollution. The Nikel plant is located just few kilometers from the border to Norway and poses a major threat to environment in the Russian-Norwegian borderlands.

Norway in 1991 allocated 300 million NOK to the installation of cleaning technology at the plant. Since then, however, little has happened. According to an agreement between the parts, Norway will be entitled to withdraw the money by 2008, should Norilsk Nickel fail to take environmental measures.

About 180 million NOK remains of the Norwegian nickel sum. The money is managed by the Nordic Investment Bank in Helsinki.

State secretary in the Norwegian Ministry of Environment, Ms Heidi Sørensen, last fall said that the Norilsk Nickel money will be revoked after the first three months of 2008.

Real action?

Norilsk Nickel now appears to be in a hurry to implement the cleaning measures. It remains to be seen however, whether the company actually will install the cleaning technology as announced. Afterall, it has promised to to do so for almost 20 year. Despite its multi-billion dollar net profits, it has failed to help out local environment and the local population both suffering severly from heavy sulphure dioxide emissions. The Nikel plant is part of the Kolskaya GMK, a regional subsidiary of Norilsk Nickel.