During 2009, Ruukki continued work to promote energy and material efficiency and to reduce the life-cycle environmental impacts of its products. Progress was made in the energy efficiency of production with the aim of achieving energy savings of 9%, compared to 2005 levels, by 2016. The recyclability of steel significantly affects the lifecycle environmental impacts of Ruukki’s products. Steel can be fully recycled indefinitely without changing its properties. During the year, Ruukki reduced global carbon dioxide emissions by 610,000tns by recycling steel and mineral products. Depending on the grade of steel being made, 20-30% of recycled steel was used in steelmaking and Ruukki’s mineral products were used in the cement industry, agriculture and earthworks and road construction. In future, Ruukki seeks to further boost the use and processing of recyclable materials and the sale of by-products. Certified ISO 14001:2004 environmental management systems covered 98% of Ruukki’s production and 87% of the personnel. Apart from one incident, no significant oil, chemical or fuel spills occurred at the company’s sites. An oil spill occurring at the Mo i Rana plant in Norway resulted in the unit reviewing its working practices. Environmental permit limits were exceeded occasionally at three sites. Ruukki’s environmental responsibility received recognition in international assessments. The company was chosen for inclusion in the DJSI World and DJSI STOXX indexes, which represent the top companies committed to sustainable development. Ruukki spent a total of EUR 21 million on environmental investments.
