Jul 4 2007
The Norwegian Ministry of the Environment has set new emission limits for the Hydro's Søderberg aluminium production line at Karmøy.
The new limits are 3.2 kilograms per hour for PAH (Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and 35 kilograms per hour particulates. The limits secure continued production of the Søderberg line through the end of 2009, when the line is to be closed due to strict new emission limits that come into force in 2010.
“These are strict limits, but tailored to what is possible to meet without closing the line before its time. Hydro will do everything it can at Karmøy to keep to these limits until the Søderberg line is closed at the end of 2009. This gives us the time we need to prepare the necessary changes for the 600 affected employees,” says Executive Vice President Torstein Dale Sjøtveit.
Hydro’s combined operations at Karmøy meet the particulate emission limit in the new concession for Prebake and Søderberg of 50 kilograms per hour from 2007. This means that Hydro’s operations at Karmøy are within Norwegian and international environmental limits.
“Hydro is working to reduce environmental effects in our aluminium operations. The aluminium industry has reduced its emissions to air by 55 percent since 1990, probably more than any other industrial sector in Norway. Hydro alone has reduced emissions of greenhouse gases by 1 million tonnes in this period. The phase-out of our Søderberg production will be an important contribution to national goals for reducing PAH emissions by 2010,” says Sjøtveit.
Hydro is evaluating a possible modernization and expansion of aluminium production at Karmøy. The market for aluminium in Europe is good. The industrial site at Karmøy has suitable areas for a new production line. Employees and management there have 40 years of experience in aluminium operations. The potential to utilize existing infrastructure makes a possible new production line an interesting proposition. One precondition for a possible investment decision is securing sufficient electricity in the Norwegian market to meet international competetive circumstances.
Hydro has extensive operations at Karmøy for the production of primary aluminium, rolled products, and extrusions, as well as sales and marketing. There are a total of 1,350 employees at the site.