ArcelorMittal Dofasco turns off the coxochemical production in Canada

The world leader in production became ArcelorMittal announced his employees about the closure of his largest Dofasco coke factory in Canadian Hamilton, Ontario. The company is considering the transition to the production of plastic products and, in particular, evaluates the prospects for manufacturing plastic bucket and plastic dishes.

From April to August last year, this enterprise with a 62-year history received 13 penalties from the Ministry of Environmental Protection for excess of pollutants emissions.

The company’s statement says that “after more than two years of studying our needs in coke, as well as the performance and duration of the existence of our coke -chemical enterprises, we report the beginning of the gradual cessation of our coke factory number 1”.

The vice-president of the company for corporate relations and public relations, Mr. Tony Valeri, said that about a hundred workers are busy at the plant today. Half of them will be transferred to other permanent posts within the company, about which a written order will be issued for the next Thursday.

“The company expects to maintain the most high -performance temporary employees. The capacities of the closing plant are about a third of all the volume of the company's coke production, ”adds Mr. Valerie.

The phased closure of the plant is expected to be completed by March 2015. The plant will continue to operate until this time and its maintenance will cost the company about 10 million US dollars per year.

Mrs. linda Lucasik, the executive director of the non -profit organization Environment Hamilton, said: “This is the right decision, this is what needs to be done. The harmful effects on the environment of the coke -processing industry are growing. In general, I think they read the inscriptions on the walls of the plant. ”

“The province intends to establish more stringent standards that regulate the production of coke, similar to adopted in the United States. Probably, this contributed to the decision to close the plant, ”added Ms. Lucasik.

However, Mr. Valerie insists that the decision to close the plant was made in connection with its natural wear of capacities. “Think of him as a car,” says Mr. Valerie. “As long as you use your car, you periodically repair it. But once you come to the fact that you just need a new car. So we have now reached the moment when the performance of the furnaces can no longer provide the necessary volumes, and, accordingly, is unprofitable. ”