Carbon Credits
The Environmental Management Policy of ArcelorMittal Brasil companies contemplates, among other aspects, the development of programs of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). Such programs are aligned with the Kyoto Protocol recommendations and concern the reduction of pollutant gas emissions, known as Greenhouse Gases.
In the beginning of 2009, the Company finished the first process of carbon credits commercialization generated by reducing the gas emissions (greenhouse gases), the first of its kind initiative in ArcelorMittal Group. Validated by the United Nations (UN), the gases were obtained by recovering the gas generated in the steel mill of ArcelorMittal Tubarão. During 10 years such process will avoid the emission of around 500 thousand tons of CO2 - the main greenhouse gas - into the atmosphere.
The commercialization was held with the German bank KFW and ensured revenues of US$ 5 million.
Other four CDM projects are under development in ArcelorMittal Brasil. The first refers to the terminal of sea barges to enable the sea transportation of 1,1 million tons/year of coils from ArcelorMittal Tubarão to ArcelorMittal Vega, in Santa Catarina state - that will remove trucks from roads.
ArcelorMittal Aços Longos is developing three CDM projects related to the use of renewable biomass: the beginning of production in 2007, of two blast furnaces using charcoal at the unit located in Juiz de Fora (MG), the Forest Producer Program which foresees the eucalyptus forest formation and forest handling performed by ArcelorMittal Brasil Florestas together with local producers - and the construction of Charcoal Production Units (CPUs). The three projects may reduce emissions in 10 million tons of CO2, up to 2015, besides generating employment and income for local communities from the "Zona da Mata" of the state of Minas Gerais.
