Polar Division of “Norilsk Nickel” MMC, Norilsk, Russia

S. Yu. Eroshevich, Deputy Executive Officer on Technical Policy and Industrial Ecology
E. V. Kalayda, Head of Department of Industrial Ecology
A. I. Yurev, Executive Officer (Center of Engineering Maintenance of Production)

Searching and usage of certain technologies and technical decisions in ore mining and metallurgical industries are the main principles of activities of “Norilsk Nickel” MMC in ecological sphere. These decisions make it possible to decrease the negative influence of industrial activity on environment. Carrying out the regular International Conference “Environmental protection and industrial activities in the North” in Norilsk became the sufficient support in searching of such decisions. Even though the Conference has been carried out for only three years, it can be noted, that for this period, it became the famous place for discussions of ecological problems of Northern territories. The First Conference “Environmental protection and industrial activities in the North” took place in 2010. It recieved the status of regional conference. Almost all reports of this conference were devoted to ecological problems of Norilsk industrial region. The Second Conference took place in September 2011. International status of this conference became its main peculiarity. The Third International Conference became the most successful, because its reports considered not only the problems of enterprises, included in the structure of “Norilsk Nickel” MMC, and its collaborators. Geography of participating countries was expanded. According to this, the reports considered the ecological aspects of life of other regions of Russia and foreign countries: from Ural Mountains to Australia and from Moscow to Canada. According to the edict of the President of Russian Federation No. 1157 (from August 10, 2012), 2013 was announced as the Year of environmental protection. The Forth International Conference “Environmental protection and industrial activities in the North” is planned to be held in September 2013. This conference is included into the “Plan of the basic measures for carrying out of Year of environmental protection in Russia”. This plan was confirmed by the Chairman of the Government of Russian Federation.