Nornickel board backs creating sustainable development role

The 21,000 tonnes of diesel leaked into rivers and subsoil on May 29 in the remote Arctic city of Norilsk.

The board of Norilsk Nickel has recommended creating a position of senior vice-president for sustainable development, the Russian mining company said on Monday, following a fuel spill in the Arctic city where it is based.

The holder of the new role would be responsible for questions of ecology and the environment, the company said, a fortnight after some 21,000 tonnes of diesel leaked into rivers and subsoil in the remote city of Norilsk.

Clean-up costs for the fuel spill that took place in late May at Nornickel’s Heat and Power Plant № 3 near Norilsk, in north-central Russia, add up to $150 million, according to information released by the company.

Ever since the accident took place on May 29, crews have been working on removing the 20,000 tonnes of diesel that leaked from the reservoir into the nearby areas, contaminating land and rivers that drain into a lake linked to the Kara Sea. 

(With files from Reuters)

Comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *