Toxic
But as the opening scene shows, it wasn’t easy. It shows the toxic black smoke that is plagued by the chimney of Zenica caulking plants. You will then be given a brief lesson on the science of steelmaking.
Coal is converted to coke to make steel in an explosion furnace. This is a porous material that is almost all carbon. Burning cola removes oxygen from iron ore and leaves behind elemental metals. The raw iron is then converted to steel in the second furnace by adjusting its chemical composition.
In this way, about two-thirds of all globally produced steel is made. However, most steel plants use blast furnace gas filters to clean up the gas produced during the iron ore conversion process into usable metals.
“We need to capture and cleanse the smoke, but we also have a caulking plant. [in Zenica] Remesh explains early in the documentary. Environmental activists also point out that without filters, Zenica’s caulking plants produced toxic substances in the atmosphere, such as benzene and benzo.[a]Pyrene, both can cause cancer and leukemia.
I believe ArcelorMittal was granted a government license to operate with Zenica in 2010, provided that these toxic substances are measured regularly. However, businesses ignored environmental obligations and delayed them.
Shareholders
ArcelorMittal also learned that it used better technology to reduce emissions at factories elsewhere in Europe, Belgium, Italy and France. Sky above Zenika Following the Eko Forum environmental campaign led by Lemeš, we will ensure that the world’s largest steel producers adhere to appropriate safety standards.
“Every few years, businesses were given new environmental permits, but they didn’t fulfill these measures,” Plungic said.
Finally, with the addition of pressure from the Eko Forum in 2022, ArcelorMittal began tracking and testing carcinogenic contaminants around Zenica’s caulking plant. The test showed dangerous chemicals that exceed legal norms 50-250 times. Meanwhile, analysis of toxins in the Bosna River shows polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon levels 910 times the legal norm.
The documentary also tells another story that runs alongside this major story. This relates to the controversy over the construction of a new thermoplant, Toplana Zenica. Most of the funds to build it came from the European Bank for Reconstruction Development (EBRD).
Construction began in 2020 and was completed two years later. ArcelorMittal Zenica is a major shareholder and owns a 50% stake. The other main shareholders are Zenika City, KPA Unicon and FinFund.
production
The EBRD included Toplana Zenica as part of the so-called Green City Action Plan. However, the EcoForum turned its attention to the strange irony of doubt about a new green heating plant. Contamination was inevitable as the ArcelorMittal Plant was to become the main fuel source for new thermal plants.
“The construction of the Toplana Zenica eliminated 200,000 tons of coal used in the old heating plant. However, it was replaced by the dirty gas from the coke plant,” explains Plungic.
March 2024, AS Sky above Zenika ArcelorMittal has announced that Zenica’s caulking plant will be closed forever as it has entered the production phase. “This decision was made for economic and environmental reasons,” the official statement from the steel producer said.
“The closure of the caulking plant has reduced diffuse emissions from Zenica plants by 80%.”
“The caulking plant has now been destroyed, and the Top Lana Zenica heat plant will be used [better technology]says Pranjić. “They still use this coke in their production. But instead of producing coke in Zenica, companies now bring it from elsewhere, but it’s been cleansed, which makes a huge difference.”
rich
There have been several attempts to bring ArcelorMittal to court. But it’s not successful. The lawsuit was filed against ArcelorMittal Zenica for putting the environment at risk with the device, but was rejected in 2020 by the Zenica Cantonal prosecutor’s office due to insufficient evidence.
The Hasanbašić family of Zenica also pursued a private lawsuit against Arcelor Mittal and sought compensation for their health and property, but the family was lost because they were unable to demonstrate the extent of the loss.
“We filmed some court proceedings, but they didn’t make it in the final film,” explains Plungic. “But we never heard locals talk about compensation being their goal. They wanted to improve their environment.” According to a 2023 Greenpeace report, Zenica is Europe’s sixth most polluted city.
“There’s still a lot more to do for the EcoForum and Zenica residents,” concludes Plungic.
Frank Mueller wants Sky above Zenikaat the very least, attracts international audiences to questions relating to environment. “I want viewers to look back at what they saw in this film,” the director shares.
“Then they might start asking: why do we have a broken planet, and why do we have a very poor society, and we have other societies to answer these questions, we need to stand as humans.”
This author
JP O’Malley is a cultural critic, journalist and author. He regularly writes book reviews and author profiles Sunday Independence (Ireland), The new humanist (UK), New Europe (UK), Gloves and emails (Canada), age (Australia).
The Sky Above Zenica is a documentary film produced by Danish Magic Hour Films in collaboration with Bosnian HBO Europe Sro and Realstage.
This article was first published Resurrection and the Ecologist magazine.
