Annual Report 2007

18 A N N U A L R E P O R T REPORT BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY The Certified System of Environmental Management under European standard EN ISO 14001, applied in 2000 in Železiarne Podbrezová a.s., is a permanent instrument used for environmental protection and the promotion of the positive environmental profile of the Company. Efficient maintenance and improvement of the system was confirmed by the supervisory audit carried out in 2007 by SGS Slovakia spol. s.r.o., in compliance with EN ISO 14001:2004. In 2007, projects of an environmental nature were implemented based on the short- and long-term goals of the Program of the Environmental Management System. In order to improve the environment, we built a noise insulating wall and noise insulating transition passages in the seamless steel tubes rolling mill. To establish conditions for the disposal of waste, the Company prepared the design for the construction of the second isolated waste deposit for the disposal of neutralisation and phosphate sediments. This is to be carried out in 2008 in order to comply with the valid legislation. 2007 was the last year of the three-year period for trading carbon oxide emission quotas and also the year of preparation for the so-called Kyoto period from 2008 to 2012. Železiarne Podbrezová a. s., as a participant in the trading scheme was actively involved in the entire process of the preparation and allocation of the emission quotas. In compliance with legislative requirements, during the previous year the Company ensured the monitoring and regular evaluation of carbon oxide emissions. A portion of savings from allocated quota was sold. Ecological activities are a logical result of the updated environmental policy from 2006, by means of which the top management of Železiarne Podbrezová a.s. publicly declared its obligation to decrease negative impacts on the environment. Research and Development In 2007, research and development activities focused mainly on the verification of features of boiler alloyed quality of tubes designated for the car industry, 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 3 586 thousand. People can not be saved without ethical culture. Einstein