Industrial areas of OJSC “Apatit” are located in immediate vicinity of dwelling buildings, lakes Imandra, Bolshoi Woodyar and Umbozero which is unique in quality of water. The production activity of OJSC “Apatit”, being an enterprise of mining and chemical type, is rightly associated with generation of the production wastes (stripped rock, ore-dressing tailings), emission of contaminants into atmosphere, discharge in natural basins.

At present the enterprise annually extracts up to 86 million tons of rock, reprocesses 29 million tons of ore and produces up to 10 million tons of concentrates. In the course of production, the enterprises burns about 360 thousand tons of black oil, 35 thousand tons of diesel fuel. To provide the production process with water, use is made of 5 water supply points; the volume of water discharge after treatment in the purification installations amounts to 170 million m3 (process, household, in-pit and storm waters).

In 1970-1980-ies high level of industrial emissions and discharge of contaminants into the environment resulted in degradation of ecological systems of Kirovsk and Apatit Region. Harmful effect was exerted upon the water bodies of lakes Imandra, Bolshoi Woodyar and Umbozero.

Change of approach to solution of nature-conservative issues at the end of the 90-ies led to radical improvement of ecological situation. Financing of ecological programs grows every year. In 2002 capital investments to measures aimed at preserving the environment, rationally using the natural resources and ensuring the environmental safety amounted to 42,029 million rubles which is twice as much as in 2001. In 2004 128,990 million rubles were managed which is thrice as much as in 2003.

In 1978 through 2004, the volume of waste water discharge into lake Imandra was reduced four times and gross discharge of suspensions (the main contaminant) was reduced 130 times. It is achieved due to introduction of 90-% recycling water supply and chemical treatment of waste water of the Processing Complex and Eastern Mill.
The organizational and technical measures taken lately made it possible to reduce discharge of contaminants 5.6 times per one ton of concentrate. In 2002, as compared with 1990, the output of concentrate was reduced 2.2 times, while the gross discharge of suspended matter was reduced 12 times.

The condition of the industrial environment in Kirovsk and Apatit Region is monitored by the Murmansk Department for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring by means of three observation posts. According to the Department data, at present the complex contamination index is below the average one shown for the towns of the Russian Federation. Emissions of OJSC “Apatit” in 2004 made up 4.5% of all emissions in the Murmansk Region.
Pollution of the ambient air in the towns of Kirovsk and Apatity as regards such indices as dust, SO2, and NO2 is below the level of sanitary and hygienic norms of the Russian Federation (maximum permissible concentration) while the complex contamination index of ambient air reached the level below the average one in the country (2.8) in 2002.

At present OJSC “Apatit” employs the Environmental Doctrine and implements Ecological Program for the period of 2002-2008 in the ecological sphere within the limits of activity of the enterprise. The program makes provisions for implementation of quite a complex of nature-conservative measures including introduction of the environment control standard ISO-14001.

The implemented environmental measures include:
- introduction of the third stage of wet gas purification at apatite-nepheline plant ANOF-2;
- introduction of biological and chemical methods for fixation of dust-forming surfaces of the tailing warehouses;
- withdrawal of apatite-nepheline plant No. 1 from operation and putting into operation of apatite-nepheline plant No. 3 which is a more ecological plant.

Among the most promising tasks of OJSC “Apatit” on improvement of environmental indices of apatite-nepheline plant ANOF-2 there are:
- searching for ways to reduce dust formation when shipping the finished products;
- reconstruction of obsolete electrical filters PGI-50-4 and GP-40-3 installed after the drying drums of technological sections 1-12.

As before, a strong source of ambient air pollution in activity of OJSC “Apatit” is formed by blasting operations performed at the mills. In order to reduce the harmful effect, OJSC “Apatit” employs new explosive materials (poremits) which prevent the mine water from being polluted with nitrites and which do not emit nitric oxides into the atmosphere after blasting.

OJSC “Apatit” energetically works in the energy-saving sphere. As far as this direction is concerned, the following measures are implemented:
- reconstruction of the ventilation and air-heating installation at Rasvumchorsk Mill;
- replacement of worn-out water pipes 2 to 3 kilometer long with pipes provided with foamed polyurethane insulation every year;
- replacement of 2 to 3 morally obsolete steam generating units with up-to-date ones every year.
The long-term plan makes provisions for the following lines of work:
- carrying out of power audit of the enterprise;
- reduction of power consumption due to introduction of perfect power efficient technologies (heat pumps, automatization of the heat-consuming systems, steam-jet devices, etc.);
- enhancement of operation efficiency of the heat sources (increase of the performance factor of the boilers, reduction of the in-house needs, reduction of losses when conveying the heat);
- all-round introduction of thermal energy counting instruments.

The design department of OJSC “Apatit” has worked out a draft of an experimental-industrial installation for neutralization of oil-containing waste having hazard class 3,4. At present the specialists of OJSC “Apatit” started designing an experimental-industrial installation for obtaining emulsions intended for fixation of dust-forming surfaces of the tailing warehouses.
In 2003 ecological certificates were worked out for industrial areas of the central boiler installation, Kirovsk Mill with a boiler plant and railroad shop in order to obtain the respective licenses.
In 2004 the works were carried out to elaborate ecological certificates for industrial areas of Rasvumchorsk, Central, Eastern Mills and for the entire motor transport of the integrated works.

When estimating implementation of the ecological programs, OJSC “Apatit” relies, first of all, upon an independent expert opinion. The enterprise was at the lead in the Kola mining region to evaluate its activity in this direction. On the initiative of the management of OJSC “Apatit”, the auditing firm of the Institute of Industrial Ecology Issues of the North of the Russian Academy of Sciences performed an independent ecological audit of the enterprise.
The auditors confirmed that the enterprise had created an environment quality control system which complies with the requirements of the national normative nature-conservative documentation. Presence of an environment quality control system stipulates for protection of the people’s health and environment against probable negative influence of activity, products or services of the enterprise.
The auditors point out that the policy of the enterprise in the sphere of protection of health of workers and population is based on:
- introduction of an environmentally friendly technology;
- introduction of environmentally friendly products on all stages of its life-cycle;
- creation of conditions for organization of the production process which complies with the established environmental requirements;
- refinement of business activity management;
- integration of the enterprise with the world market and fulfillment of international obligations.

In order to cultivate the ecological culture aimed at preserving the nature, the year-boor “Laplandsky Zapovednik” is published within the last four years sponsored by OJSC “Apatit”. This year-book is delivered to schools, libraries and museums of Kirovsk and Apatity free of charge.
OJSC “Apatit” is a sponsor and an active participant of annual all-Russia Days of Protection against Ecological Hazards. The work on neutralization of hazardous effect upon the natural complex of the Kola peninsula performed during the last years evoked positive response of the general public.

The employees of OJSC “Apatit” actively participate in international programs on environmental protection. In particular, they take part in the Russian-Norwegian program on propagation of the concept of pollution-free production which is implemented in the Northwestern areas of Russia making part of the Barents Region. The respective international certificates were granted to more than 50 specialists within the limits of this program.

At present, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the administration of the Murmansk Region, Environmental Protection Agency of Sweden, Lapponian State Biosphere Reserve and OJSC “Apatit” started working on strategic planning of stable development of protected areas of the Murmansk Region.