Since we are the largest shale oil manufacturer in Estonia, our activities affect the environment and the local community. We are working hard in order to bring our production footprint to the minimum. In 2018, the Environmental Board and the town of Kohtla-Järve confirmed the action plan aimed at reducing the number of aromatic substances, prepared by the Group, according to which we made an investment in the amount of 1.1 mln euros into the improvement of the quality of ambient air. In the result of investments made in 2018 and 2019, according to the plan, the number of aromatic emissions arising from the production territory of VKG will be reduced by 12%.

Within the frames of this programme, last year the combustion areas on the territory belonging to the Group, located at Kohtla-Järve dumpsite, caused by the storage technology used before, were closed, in accordance with the technology developed by specialists in the field and the project prepared by OÜ ENTEC Eesti. Besides, the absorber 200 within the equipment for preparing heavy and light-middle oil and the absorber 40 at the oil warehouse were united into a single breathing system. The emissions from those systems were directed for combustion into the boiler at the Northern power plant and the electrode coke equipment accordingly.

In addition to the actions described above, it is of primary importance for us to reduce the environmental effect caused by transport.

In 2018, the largest environmental project was the construction of the enclosed pipe conveyor for semi-coke. After this conveyor was launched, the logistics of raw material, as well as all of the kinds of waste generated in the process of shale oil production, was resolved by means of the environmentally-friendly enclosed conveyor systems. Conveyor systems reduced the usage of automobile transport considerably on the territory bordering the town, which in its turn facilitated the reduction of the number of emissions into the atmosphere, the noise from driving and loading/unloading procedures, and dust emissions.

The implementation of the principles of the state economy has been the main priority of our financial activities. Last year 95% of the oil shale waste rock generated at the Ojamaa mine was sent to re-use. The largest part was sold to the companies outside of the Group, and some of it was used for the company’s own needs. The oil shale waste rock is used as a filling material and in road construction. In its turn, it demonstrates that the company lays great emphasis on pursuing the national goals, which are related to the implementation of the "National Development Plan for the Use of Oil Shale 2016–2030"

In 2018, VKG Soojus started the renovation of heating mains built at the end of the 1960s. Within the two years, ca 10 kilometres of pipelines will be replaced. First of all, the new pipelines will ensure the provision of a stable service of the highest quality, thermal losses will be reduced, and the reliability of the heating mains will be improved. Currently, the enterprise is running the two projects, in the result of which the number of greenhouse gases (CO₂) will be decreased by 1,084 t per year.

All in all, 9.4 mln euros
were invested in environmental projects in 2018.

The most important projects have been the development of the methods for observing the carbon footprint, the application for making changes in the amounts of greenhouse gases for the purposes of the greenhouse gas trading system for the years 2021-2030, and the initiation of assessment of environmental effects on the mining field in Uus-Kiviõli in cooperation with Eesti Energia.

Within the frames of the action plan aimed at odour reduction, the two last measures were implemented, in the result of which the emissions from the common breathing system at the oil warehouse (absorber 500) are directed into the electrode coke equipment for utilization, and the number of emissions with regard to aromatic substances generated by the equipment used for loading shale oil tankers will be reduced as well.