Annual_report_2006

A N N U A L R E P O R T 18 REPORT BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY The Certified System of Environmental Management under European standard EN ISO 14 001, applied in 2000, is one of the tools used for environmental protection and the promotion of the positive environmental profile of the Company. From 1 January 2006, Železiarne Podbrezová a.s. updated their environmental policy whereby the Company’s Board of Directors publicly declared their respect for environmental concerns and their responsibility for system- atic improvement. Efficient maintenance and improvement of the system was confirmed by the supervisory audit carried out through- out the year by SGS Slovakia spol. s.r.o., in compliance with EN ISO 14 001:2004. In order to comply with EU legislation, upon the entry of the Slovak Republic to the EU we have implemented regulations governing the requirements and duties in individual areas of environmental activities. Such activities are directed towards improvements in the quality of air, water, and waste management, and as such are intended to reduce the risk of ecological disasters. In compliance with legislative requirements, the Company ensured the monitoring and regular evaluation of carbon oxide emissions. In the area of waste management, we have prepared the Programme for Decontami- nation and Replacement of Equipment Containing PCB (Polychlorinated Biphenyls) up to the end of 2010. In accordance with the Act on the Integrated Prevention and Control of Environment Pollution, the Company gained an integrated licence for such activities. Research and Development In 2006, research and development activities focused on the verification of boiler alloyed quality properties. R&D tasks have further focused on optimizing the technological parameters of steel and tube production, and the extension of the useful life of shaping tools. Actual R&D costs amounted to SKK 3 771 thousand. In 2007, R&D projects totalling SKK 6 900 thousand are planned, with the main focus on optimizing the para- meters of reconstructed annealing furnace 4, verification of boiler tubes properties, optimizing the technological parameters of steel and tube production, optimizing punch press lubrication, and extension of the useful life of shaping tools. In the environmental area, we will deal with the possibility of waste processing at steel and tubes production. With regards to seeking to resolve techno- logical development tasks, we will continue our close co-operation with the Material Research Institute of Slovak Academy of Science in Košice, and the Welding Research Institute in Bratislava. When you drink the water, remember the spring.