As part of the annual environmental programme, INGULETS GOK continues seasonal dust prevention works at its industrial sites. Currently, the slopes of the tailings pond are being sown with perennial grasses in the Process Water and Sludge Facilities Shop.
Over the past five years, INGULETS GOK has been successfully and widely using green technologies for dust suppression. The company's specialists are constantly looking for new effective measures to reduce environmental impact, giving preference to environmentally friendly methods. For 2024, the Environmental Protection Department of the enterprise has planned to carry out phytosowing on 20 hectares of slopes of the tailings pond. In spring, a mixture of perennial grass seeds was sown on 6.6 hectares of sloping surfaces on the northern side of the first stage of the tailings pond.
Despite the dry summer, spring sowing has fulfilled its function. The grasses have risen to form a green shield. Even now, their roots and stems cover the rocky surface, preventing dispersion. According to the observations of ecologists and workers of the Process Water And Sludge Facilities Shop, sweet clover takes root well on the rocky surface. It is a rather strong plant with a branched root system and an aboveground part. During the autumn phytosowing, it was added to the legume-grass mixture.
The autumn works are currently ongoing. So far, 8.2 hectares of the slopes of the second stage of the tailings ponds have been sown. Another 5 hectares will be worked on in the coming days. They use a grass mixture that includes alfalfa, mustard, fescue, and timothy grass in addition to sweet clover The seeds are applied to rocky surfaces using a hand-held seeder. In the spring, they hope to see maximum germination of plants.
"By using green technologies to cover industrial facilities with herbaceous plants, we not only achieve the effect of dust control, but also improve their aesthetic appearance. This year, we planted the slopes of the tailings ponds on the part facing the villages of Mohylivka and Radevycheve in the Shyroke territorial community, as well as on the side of villages of Zelenyi Hai and Vyshneve in the Karpivka territorial community. Thus we fulfill the environmental obligations set out in the memorandums of cooperation," commented Nataliia BILOZOROVA, Head of the Environmental Protection Department of Metinvest's GOK.
