Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in line with the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997 (PEPA) has enforced environment friendly technology at Taibah Steel Re-rolling mills as a model for other industrial units to replicate for better health and safety measures.
Deputy Director EPA Dr Mohsina Zubair said during the visit that the steel re-rolling mill after various discussions was asked to implement the latest technology used in such industrial units to control pollution and provide healthy working environment.
Administration of the mill was asked to hold internship programmes for university graduates to give them exposure and first hand experience at the steel mill. This would help to bring improvement in the plant through knowledge sharing.
Official from Taibah steel mills said that the steel re-rolling mill had not submitted its environmental management plan to EPA which was mandatory for such unit to ensure environmental laws’ compliance to the environmental watchdog.
Official added that we have submitted our environmental management plan, devised a new corporate social responsibility (CSR) policy and safe standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure staff’s health and also generating its own electricity to reduce our carbon footprint under the new CSR policy.
Steel mill had organized an interactive session where the EPA Deputy Director Dr Mohsina Zubair, EMC representatives, ESPAK (Testing Laboratory) experts and other steel mills representatives to showcase the best health and safety practices adopted by the Taibah Steel re-rolling mills.
Official noted that “The steel mill has worked out a plan to install wet scrubbers within a month, in the factory, to reduce the pollution further that was being created during its production. However, it is a re-rolling mill and its emissions are less detrimental for the environment and human beings as compared to the steel manufacturing units”.
The steel mill administration would also organize staff training and capacity building workshops to ensure safe and healthy working environment for the staff working at the steel re-rolling plant. Moreover, after Capital Development Authority (CDA)’s approval, the steel mill would also plant saplings at the adjacent green plants and walkways in its premises to ensure green and healthy environment.