Environmental Protection Policy of "UZVTORTSVETMET" JSC

We understand that the economic efficiency and environmental safety of "UZVTORTSVETMET" JSC's operations can only be achieved through a comprehensive, systemic approach to environmental management and protection. This approach accounts for the necessity of preserving Uzbekistan's natural potential, ensuring the reproduction of natural resources, developing production, and implementing the Best Available Techniques (BAT).

Aware of the scale and complexity of the environmental challenges facing the enterprise, "UZVTORTSVETMET" JSC consistently reduces and prevents the environmental impact arising from its production activities.

The management of "UZVTORTSVETMET" JSC regards environmental protection as an integral part of the plant's operations. The enterprise strives to contribute to the sustainable development of the Republic of Uzbekistan through strict compliance with environmental legislation, the rational use of natural resources, and the continuous improvement of its environmental performance.

The strategy of "UZVTORTSVETMET" JSC in the field of industrial safety, occupational health, and environmental protection consists of ensuring safe working conditions for employees, protecting the health of personnel and the local population, and maintaining a favorable environment.

Objectives of the Industrial and Environmental Safety Policy:

• Rational use of natural resources, including those involved in production and existing within the plant's operational processes, by implementing resource-saving and energy-efficient technologies.

• Consistent reduction of emissions and waste through the introduction of progressive technologies, modernization of equipment and materials, and increasing the level of automation in process management.

• Continuous improvement of industrial safety and occupational health, including enhancing the reliability of technological equipment to ensure safe and accident-free operations.

• Ensuring the readiness of management bodies and plant employees for prompt action in the elimination of potential accidents and other emergencies.

• Reducing the anthropogenic impact on the environment from newly commissioned facilities by improving the quality of pre-project and project documentation.

• Increasing the effectiveness of production control, corporate oversight, and internal auditing regarding compliance with legislative requirements for industrial safety, occupational health, and environmental protection at all facilities.

The assessment of compliance with environmental legislation is carried out during the daily production activities of structural units (workshops and sections), as well as during internal environmental audits of regional branches. During these internal audits, external inquiries and communications from state supervisory and regulatory authorities are analyzed.

Overall, the enterprise's activities are carried out within the framework of environmental standards established and agreed upon with state regulatory bodies, as provided by the environmental legislation of the Republic of Uzbekistan. In the event of environmental concerns, specific goals and objectives are set, and appropriate measures are developed to rectify any deficiencies.

The production base of JSC «UZVTORTSVETMET» enables the implementation of all technological processes of non-ferrous metal recycling – from raw material processing to the production of a wide range of high-quality alloys in accordance with national and international standards, as well as according to the customer’s technical specifications. High product quality at all stages of production and processing is the most important priority of the plant’s activities!

The equipment for primary raw material preparation and the melting equipment of the metallurgical complex allow processing of any types of non-ferrous metal scrap and waste – engine and deformed scrap, chips, cans, slags. Currently, 8 workshops and 2 sections are in operation.

In 2002, a modern production line for copper-based alloys – unique in Central Asia – was put into operation. An induction crucible furnace of the «INDUCTOTHERM» brand (Germany), the world’s largest manufacturer of induction melting equipment, was installed. It allows melting non-ferrous metal raw materials while preserving their chemical properties and producing molten metal without mixing different metallic alloys.

The re-melting boiler for aluminum scrap has also been upgraded. The production capacity of this imported boiler is approximately 10,000 tons per year. Its advantages include savings in time, fuel, and electricity required for melting.

Aluminum processing equipment belongs to melting units designed for remelting secondary aluminum scrap and aluminum alloy waste into ingots and pigs. Installed are a reverberatory furnace for aluminum alloys, a large universal shredder, a granulator for crushed iron, and plasma cutting devices.

The reverberatory furnace can be used for refining, alloy production, and homogenization of chemical composition. The furnace is equipped with a modern thyristor control unit that maintains the melt temperature with an accuracy of ±1 °C, and temperature sensors. A distinctive feature of the installed furnace is its excellent thermal performance.

The plant takes pride in its technologies for recycling spent lead-acid batteries – the main source of secondary lead. Due to their complex composition, obsolete electronic products and devices are recycled to a very limited extent and most often end up in landfills worldwide. Modern lead-acid batteries contain several recyclable components, the most important being lead-based alloys, the metal itself, its dioxide, and polypropylene. Since 2005, the enterprise has operated a complex of equipment for mechanized separation of lead batteries with automatic control of technological operation parameters. The main equipment includes crushers, hydrodynamic separators, and classifiers of various designs. The productivity of such units ranges from 5 to 50 tons of batteries per hour.

In addition, three small reverberatory furnaces have been built and commissioned for the production of higher-value products (enamelled wires, battery packs, aluminum cathodes, etc.). The presence of an in-house laboratory equipped with modern spectral equipment of the «SPEKTROLAB» brand (Germany) enables the production of competitive products and high-precision analysis of the chemical composition of non-ferrous metal alloys in accordance with international standards and GOSTs of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The comprehensive laboratory equipment includes instruments and devices, analytical techniques, chemical reagents, and laboratory glassware. The availability of a large number of standard reference materials allows the instrument to be calibrated for the control of virtually any alloy. During the melting process, continuous express control of the liquid metal’s chemical composition is performed.

In production, effective modified fluxes and alloying components are used; the produced alloys undergo degassing and filtration through foam-ceramic filters, which makes it possible to obtain high-purity alloys that fully meet customer requirements. Over recent years, all plant technologies have been fully updated and modernized, resulting in improved efficiency. The plant’s specialists are carrying out extensive work to positively address the problem of atmospheric pollution, introduce waste-free technologies in waste management, and ensure rational use of energy resources. Furthermore, work on reconstruction and modernization continues actively through the purchase and installation of modern energy-saving technologies and equipment, technical re-equipment of production, and raising the knowledge and qualifications of employees. The high level of professionalism, along with modern equipment from Russia, Germany, the USA, Japan, India, and Spain, enables JSC «UZVTORTSVETMET» to achieve high quality of manufactured products. All types of products are certified.

We understand that the economic efficiency and environmental safety of JSC «UZVTORTSVETMET»’s economic activities can only be achieved through a comprehensive and systematic approach to regulating natural resource use and environmental protection, taking into account the necessity of preserving Uzbekistan’s natural potential, ensuring the reproduction of natural resources, developing production, and implementing the best available technologies.

Recognizing the scale and complexity of the environmental problems facing the enterprise, JSC «UZVTORTSVETMET» consistently reduces and prevents the impact on the environment arising during its production activities.

The management of JSC «UZVTORTSVETMET» regards environmental protection activities as an integral part of the plant’s operations. The enterprise seeks to make its contribution to the sustainable development of the Republic of Uzbekistan through strict compliance with the requirements of environmental legislation, rational use of natural resources, and continuous improvement of environmental protection activities.

The strategy of JSC «UZVTORTSVETMET» in the field of industrial safety, occupational health and safety, and environmental protection consists of ensuring safe working conditions for employees, protecting the health of the enterprise’s personnel and the population living in the area of its operations, as well as preserving a favorable environment.

The goals of the policy in the field of industrial and ecological safety are:

• rational use of natural resources, including those involved in production and those available during the plant’s activities, through the introduction of resource-saving and energy-efficient technologies;
• consistent reduction in the quantity of emissions and waste through the introduction of new progressive technologies, modernization of equipment and materials, and raising the level of automation in process management;
• continuous improvement of the state of industrial safety and occupational health, including through increasing the reliability of technological equipment and ensuring its safe and accident-free operation;
• ensuring the readiness of management bodies and plant workers for prompt actions to eliminate possible accidents and other emergency situations;
• reducing the technogenic load on the environment from newly commissioned facilities by improving the quality of preparation of pre-project and project documentation;
• increasing the efficiency of production control, corporate supervision, and internal audit regarding compliance with legislative requirements for industrial safety, occupational health and safety, and environmental protection at facilities.

Evaluation of compliance with legislative requirements in the field of environmental protection is carried out during the daily production activities of structural subdivisions (shops and sections), as well as during internal environmental inspections of regional branches. During such internal inspections, analysis of external requests and messages from state control and supervisory bodies is conducted. Overall, the enterprise’s activities are carried out within the established norms in the field of environmental protection, agreed upon with state supervisory authorities, as provided for by the requirements of the environmental legislation of the Republic of Uzbekistan. In the event of questions arising regarding environmental protection, goals and objectives are established and appropriate measures are developed to eliminate deficiencies.