The particulars of EMD’s organization

1.  The particulars of EMD’s organization.

Environment Management Division (EMD), established on 23rd June 1988, is the corporate unit certified with ISO 9001:2015 Standard. The unit plays a pivotal role in consolidation of the efforts of the plants, mines and units towards environment protection and resource optimization through its multifarious activities involving

• Proactive interface between the SAIL units and the regulatory agencies,
• Monitoring and assessment, 
• Technology dissemination, 
• Awareness campaigns and skill up-gradation.

In addition to these, EMD with constant co-operation from plants, mines and units, is paving its way for propagation of EMS linked to ISO 14001 for various shops and units, including warehouses.

Major Activities of EMD

Environmental Management

Within the ambit of notified environmental standards and rules pertaining to eco-friendly management of various wastes, generated inside the plant premises and at the townships, SAIL plants and mines operate its processes in tandem with Nature.

SAIL has also drawn its Environmental Vision in consonance with the Corporate Environmental Policy, which not only addresses the needs to be compliant but also emphasises on striving to go beyond compliance. The Company is also committed to address the stakeholders’ concerns and communicate its environmental philosophy to all the stake- holders through systematic Stakeholders Consultation Module.

Relentless efforts are being put in conducting business in a sustainable way, with less load on environment. This has resulted in significant improvement in Environmental Performances Indices over the years.

Environmental Performances Indices (EPIs): 

Following major environmental parameters have shown improvement during the FY 2021-22 over the last five years: 

• Specific Particulate Matter (PM) Emission Load reduced by more than 20 % 
• Specific CO2 Emission reduced by around 2 % 
• Specific Water Consumption reduced by more than 13 % 
• Specific Effluent Discharge reduced by more than 24 % 
• Specific Effluent Load reduced by around 23 % 
• BF Slag Utilisation increased by more than 12 % 
• BOF Slag Utilisation increased by more than 15 % 
• Total Solid Waste Utilisation increased by more than 13 % 

Efforts towards Emission Control

Latest pollution control equipment have been/ are being set up and run efficiently, to contain the emissions from various process operations, resulting in progressive decline of the Particulate Matter (PM) emission load (kg/tcs).

During the modernization-cum-expansion programme of the SAIL plants, an array of clean and environment friendly technologies have been introduced which has resulted in the improved environmental performances and also reduced specific CO2 emission.

Some of the major best available technologies adopted during this massive program are:

• Higher capacity (tall) coke oven batteries equipped with Coke Dry Cooling Plant ( BSP, RSP & ISP)
• Sinter Plant equipped with improved ignition system (multi-slit burners), Waste Heat Recovery facility from sinter cooler etc.( RSP & ISP)
• Blast Furnace of higher capacity, equipped with Top Pressure Recovery Turbine (TRT), Waste Heat Recovery facility, Pulverised Coal Injection, Cast House De-dusting System, Cast House Slag Granulation Plant and Torpedo Ladle (BSP, RSP & ISP)
• Walking Beam Reheating Furnace (RHF) in place of pusher type RHF at the Rolling Mill in reducing energy consumption as well as CO2 emission at all the plants
• Maximising Coal Dust Injection etc. (all the working BF are equipped with CDI facilities)  
• Secondary emission control system with DOG house facilities in SMS
• Cast House De-dusting Facilities
• Dry Fog Dust Suppression system etc.

SAIL, being a corporate entity, is striving to address the issues and opportunities for synergistic “Action” in India to limit average global temperature increase and resulting in climate change. Various strategies are being chalked out in the area of Low Carbon Steel Making. SAIL has envisaged installing a Carbon Capture & Utilization Plant at Chandrapur Ferro Alloy Plant where Submerged Arc Furnace (SAF) off-gas has been planned for recovery and use.

Efforts towards Water Conservation:

SAIL plants and mines have been taking several measures for conservation of water; which has now become a priority area in SAIL. The Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) installed at various process units are operating effectively round the clock and are being maintained meticulously, resulting in significant improvement in water re-circulation efficiency. To achieve Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD), various projects are under planning/ implementation at SAIL.

Catch The Rain – Rainwater Harvesting  

The Company has been implementing Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) systems and artificial recharge to ground water since long and adopted it as integral part of water conservation measures. SAIL has already constructed RTRWH systems in its plants, mines and township which accounts for nearly 291 million litre of water being conserved and recharged to groundwater in a year.

National Water Mission’s (NWM) “Catch The Rain” campaign has acted as a boost towards more Rain Water Harvesting through installation of additional Roof Top Rain Water Harvesting projects, construction of rainwater harvesting pits, collection of rainwater in pond / check dams etc. which are at different stages of implementation in various location of SAIL.

Online Continuous Emission/ Effluent Quality Monitoring System

SAIL is progressively installing online continuous emission monitoring systems (OCEMS) to cover all the consented stacks, online ambient air quality monitoring stations and online effluent quality monitoring systems (EQMS) for outlets/outfalls

Effective Management of Wastes

o Industrial wastes:

During 2021-22, SAIL has achieved 100% utilization of BF slag and around 69% utilization of BOF slag (increase of 11% over previous year). Solid wastes like mill scales, BF flue dust, BF slag and waste refractory bricks are utilized fully. The BF slag gets granulated through cast house slag granulation plants for further use in cement industries as a substitute of clinker.

In order to achieve 100 % utilization of solid wastes, R&D based initiatives mentioned below have been undertaken either through in-house research wing or in association with other research /academic institutes with a special emphasis on increase in BOF slag utilization.

The Ministry of Steel has taken up an R&D project proposal on “Development of steel slag based cost effective eco-friendly fertilizers for sustainable agriculture and inclusive growth” through ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI). SAIL is actively participating in the project that will provide a substitute to primary fertilizer with Slag based fertilizer.

o Municipal Wastes:

In compliance with the “Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2016”, DSP and RSP have already installed bio-digesters (organic waste composter) for processing of 400 kg canteen wastes per day, resulting in safe disposal of biodegradable wastes from the canteens inside plant premises. During 2020-21, a new Solid & Liquid Resource Management Centre (SLRM) has been set up at Bhilai Township to handle Municipal Wastes.

Project of installation of a bio-digester for processing of 500 kg canteen waste per day is under execution at BSL. The bio-digester converts the bio-degradable solid wastes into compost, which is used as manure for horticulture.

Environment-friendly disposal of Poly Chlorinated Bi-Phenyls (PCBs)

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), highly toxic environmental pollutants, are the class of synthetic organic chemicals which are used in many industries. These chemicals are categorized as Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) under an international agreement on managing Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), called Stockholm Convention. The notification on Regulation of Polychlorinated Biphenyls was issued in April, 2016. As per the notification, use of PCBs in any form shall be prohibited completely by 31st December, 2025.

Understanding the Country’s need for developing a state-of-the-art facility for  management and disposal of PCBs accumulated in the Country, BSP in partnership with the MoEF&CC and UNIDO has initiated a project for setting-up of an environment friendly disposal facility at its site. The project has been funded partly by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through UNIDO. SAIL has committed to co-finance the project by extending infrastructure facilities like provision of land, building, civil works, utilities and manpower etc. UNIDO informed that deployment of foreign experts & integrated commissioning trials will be started before 15.09.2022.

Creation of Carbon Sink

Trees play an important role in balancing the ecosystem and function as a carbon sink. Keeping the enormous contribution of the trees in mind, SAIL has long been adopting extensive afforestation program religiously in its plants and mines since its nascent stage.

One of the commitments of India under the Paris Agreement is to create an additional ‘carbon sink’ of 2.5 to 3.0 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030. In line with GoI’s NDC commitment, SAIL has set a target of planting five lakh of saplings every year in its Vision Document. Since inception, an aggregate of 215.42 lakh of saplings has been planted.

Bio-sequestration of CO2 through afforestation:

For the purpose of reduction of CO2 emission and sequestration of the generated carbon back into the system, SAIL is assessing its carbon footprint in one hand and potential of sequestration of CO2, through its existing biotic resources, on the other. A project on carbon sequestration through afforestation has been successfully completed at Rourkela Steel Plant.

Promotion of Non-conventional energy

SAIL has already implemented following projects in order to promote application of renewable energy:

• 1 MW ground mounted Solar Power Plant connected with electrical grid system of the State Electricity Board at RSP
• 2 MW grid connected roof top solar power units on various buildings of BSL.
• 0.5 MW roof top solar power units on various buildings of BSP.

Besides, some of the major initiatives undertaken towards implementation of renewable energy projects include setting up of (i) 10 MW Hydel Power Plant at Mandira Dam, RSP, under a Joint Venture initiative with Green Energy Development Corporation of Odisha Limited (GEDCOL) and (ii) 6.145 MW roof-top solar units on different buildings at the various Plants/Units locations under Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) scheme. 2.045 MW roof top Solar Power units have already been installed on various buildings of SAIL Plants & Units. 

Besides, SAIL is gradually shifting to more energy-efficient and durable LED lighting system from conventional lighting system, in line with the Government of India’s initiative “Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) Scheme”. 

SAIL has already installed more than 75,000 LED lights replacing conventional lights.

Sustainable Development Projects

Restoration and rehabilitation of degraded ecosystem is essential for maintaining and enhancing bio-diversity as well as replenishing the eco-system services.

Over the years, about 250 acre of degraded mined out area in Purnapani Limestone & Dolomite Quarry situated in Odisha have been restored back to biologically rich closed canopy forests by planting saplings of different native plant species and medicinal plants. 200 acres of mine void area has also been transformed into clean biologically productive aquatic ecosystem that provides fishing in the water body as alternative livelihood for local community.

The project has been successfully accomplished in collaboration with the Department of Bio-technology (DBT), Govt. of India through the University of Delhi and is still being maintained. 

To further strengthen our commitment, SAIL has also taken up the ecological restoration of mined out areas of Kiriburu & Meghahatuburu Iron Ore Mines in Jharkhand with the active help of Institute of Forest Productivity, Ranchi. 

Implementation of Environment Management System (EMS)

Environmental Management System (EMS) linked with ISO:14001 is a systematic framework to manage the immediate and long term environmental impacts of an organisation’s products, services and processes. Implementation of EMS has helped SAIL plants and units to ensure their performance being always within the applicable regulatory requirements. All the integrated steel plants, major units and warehouses of SAIL are in compliant with EMS ISO: 14001 Standard.