ENVIRONMENT AND QUALITY

EC Zagłębie Dąbrowskie sp. z o.o. generates heat and electricity based on burning hard coal, which inevitably puts a strain on the environment. EC Zagłębie Dąbrowskie sp. z o.o. limits the environmental impact of the production process by:
  • selecting appropriate fuels,
  • preventing the generation of air pollutants and reducing concentrations of pollutants in flue gases before they are released into the air,
  • efficient waste management,
  • rational water and sewage management.
Selecting appropriate fuels
The quality of fuels burned in the plant (coal and heavy fuel oil, the latter being the start-up fuel) is determined at each stage of their participation in the combustion process – starting from the determination of limit parameters for the fuels supplied under fuel supply agreements (including permissible sulphur content). Next, the fuel quality is inspected upon delivery of every fuel batch – every batch comes with a quality certificate. In addition, coal parameters are tested in the in-house laboratory of EC Zagłębie Dąbrowskie sp. z o.o.
Preventing the generation of air pollutants and reducing concentrations of pollutants in flue gases before they are released into the air
To reduce emissions of sulphur oxides (SO2, SO3), HCl, and HF, the boilers are equipped with the Flue Gas Desulphurisation System. Flue gas desulphurisation in our plant is a semi-dry process and takes place in a circulating fluidised bed reactor (CFB). A bag filter is also an important component of the system.
To prevent or reduce nitrogen oxide emissions, all boilers employ primary measures (reorganisation of the combustion process) and also are equipped with flue gas denitrification systems based on selective non-catalytic reduction (SNCR).
To reduce dust emissions, all boilers have high-efficiency electrostatic precipitators. Dust is also removed in the bag filter, which is part of the flue gas desulphurisation system.
The aforementioned systems and activities allow us to reduce emissions of pollutants to the limit emission levels specified in the Integrated Permit.
Efficient waste management
As part of its activity, EC Zagłębie Dąbrowskie sp. z o.o. generates waste with the following codes:
  • 10 01 01 - Bottom ash, slag and boiler dust (excluding boiler dust mentioned in 10 01 04),
  • 10 01 02 - Coal fly ash,
  • 10 01 82 - Mixtures of fly ash and solid waste with calcium-based flue gas desulphurisation (dry and semi-dry method of flue gas desulphurisation and fluidised bed combustion).
The waste is tested on a regular basis, fully transferred to third-party customers, and, ultimately, is recycled for economic use as components of products used in the construction industry for filling mining excavations and for land levelling.
Rational water and sewage management
EC Zagłębie Dąbrowskie sp. z o.o. uses water mainly for process purposes:
  • surface water is used to refill the main cooling circuit and to refill the boiler circuit once it is treated in the demineralisation station,
  • tap water is used as an emergency and additional water source to refill the boiler and heating circuit; approx. 20% of tap water is used for utility and fire safety purposes.
EC Zagłębie Dąbrowskie sp. z o.o. ensures rational water management by limiting water losses from closed cooling and slag removal circuits and by using some wastewater to refill the slag removal circuit. Water from drains and boiler blowdowns are also used to refill the heating circuit.