CSN laboratory ranks among the best in Brazil in environmental analysis

The Environmental Laboratory at the Research Center of Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN), located in Volta Redonda (RJ), has just achieved an important national recognition: excellence in performance in the Proágua Ambiental Interlaboratory Program (PIPA) – a technical evaluation initiative accredited by Inmetro and internationally recognized by EPTIS (European Proficiency Testing Information System).

In the most recent round of the program, which brought together 44 laboratories from all over Brazil, the CSN laboratory achieved impressive results. Of the 13 technical parameters evaluated, 12 were classified as “excellent” – including elements such as Aluminum, Arsenic, Copper, and Zinc – and only one as “good” (Calcium). The data demonstrate the reliability, accuracy, and robustness of the chemical analyses performed at the unit.

This performance is the result of management committed to quality, environmental responsibility, and technological innovation. The unit uses state-of-the-art equipment, such as ICP-OES (Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry), and has a highly trained technical team that is constantly updating its knowledge of industry standards and requirements.

In addition to technical performance, the laboratory is audited and certified by INEA (State Environmental Institute) through a rigorous process that evaluates everything from sample collection to report issuance, ensuring excellence at every stage.

Currently, the laboratory performs around 200 analyses per week, monitoring samples at various points in the Presidente Vargas Plant’s water system, which is connected to the Paraíba do Sul River. This routine contributes directly to the preservation of natural resources and compliance with environmental requirements.

The result achieved also represents the joint effort of the professionals who work at the unit. For Márcio Lins, Executive Director of Steel Production at CSN, the performance reflects the standard of excellence that the company seeks in all its operations.

“This recognition is a source of pride for all of us. It reinforces CSN’s commitment to quality, sustainability, and care for the environment. I congratulate every employee involved in this achievement, which is the result of dedication, technical competence, and teamwork,” said Márcio Lins.

With this milestone, CSN reaffirms its leadership role in the industrial sector and its commitment to innovation, safety, and sustainability in all areas in which it operates.