Falco aiming to retain capacity even under ’94 emission target

Falconbridge Ltd. plans to spend $3 million over the next three years on new technologies designed to reduce acid rain-causing sulphur dioxide emissions from its copper- nickel smelter in Sudbury, Ont.

“Our objective is to meet the 1994 emission limits at our rated plant capacity of 88 million lb (of nickel),” F. G. Pickard, vice-president of metallurgy and engineering said at a select committee hearing on the environment held in Toronto last week.

This year the company expects to produce just 62 million lb of nickel — about 30% below its rated plant capacity. By producing at this level, Falconbridge has stayed well below government emission standards since they were first implemented in 1970. But should nickel markets improve in the future, as expected by some market analysts, the company wants to be in the position to increase production to the 88-million-lb capacity without exceeding those standards.

“The problem we face is that other nickel producers are in Third World countries who are not concerned with the environment,” Mr Pickard says. “Part of the Canadian culture is staying competitive. We have to be better than they are by being more productive and smarter producers.”

So far Falconbridge has narrowed the technological options for cutting emissions down to three choices. One will be selected by 1988-89 and pilot plant tests are planned for 1989-90. A full scale plant would go into operation following the test period to meet the 1994 deadline.

“The limiting factor right now is not available research capital,” Mr Pickard said in reply to a question from one Ontario MPP, “but finding and hiring enough qualified people to do the research work is.”

Falconbridge expects to get about $1 million back from the federal government in the form of a drie grant after the 3-year period. “In our opionion, the amount allotted by the is Feds not enough,” Mr Pickard said.

Although the Ontario government has told the industry to reduce their 1980 level of emissions by 67% by 1994 it has made no contributions to the research work necessary to achieve this target and no mechanism is available to provide funds that Falconbridge management is aware of.