Volzhsky Pipe Plant (VTZ), a branch of the Pipe Metallurgical Company (TMK), has registered the first carbon unit in the National Register of Carbon Units thanks to a climate project to create a carbon farm at an industrial waste landfill.
The registration of the landfill itself and the first carbon unit attests to the recognition of the project technology as working and efficient. The ecological result is achieved due to sequestration of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by plants in the arid climate of the steppe zone. The carbon units registered in accordance with the established procedure will be used by the VTZ in order to reduce the carbon footprint of the enterprise, and can also be sold on the relevant market to other companies. Due to this, the VTZ carbon farm acquires both ecological and economic value.
Currently, 14 thousand poplars have been planted on an area of more than 0.5 hectares, and the total planned planting area is 27.4 hectares. Plants are planted in waste-filled, geomembrane-insulated and fertile soil-covered areas.
The project is being implemented jointly with the Bauman Moscow State Technical University as part of TMK's strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In the course of the work, the partners also selected the most effective tree species for the arid climate.
"This is primarily a research project and an initiative to improve the overall environmental situation, but it is also a long-term strategic investment for TMK. Having successfully completed the project initiation, validation and verification, we have gained experience that will be used in the introduction of carbon regulation at various levels. Registration in the register of carbon units will make it possible to use this in the future to reduce the carbon footprint and obtain possible support measures for the performers of climate projects. This can become a competitive advantage in the long term, which will allow us to maintain and expand our sales markets," said Marianna Klimova, TMK's chief ecologist.
The VTZ carbon farm is a specialized site where poplar cuttings are planted. They effectively absorb carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, affect the exchange of carbon dioxide with the atmosphere, and purify the soil in the climatic conditions of the steppe zone. The initiative has been implemented since 2023. TMK has registered the first carbon unit in the National Register