Tata Steel may be hit with a €27 million fine by the Dutch Environmental Service for breaching emissions regulations at two of its facilities in the Netherlands.
The company has been given an eight-week deadline to substantially reduce the release of harmful substances. Failure to comply could result in fines of up to €27 million. Additionally, Dutch authorities have cautioned that the plant’s permit may be revoked if its Coking Gas Factory 2 fails to meet legal standards within a year.
According to the Dutch Environmental Service, the chimneys of Tata Steel’s coking gas plants 1 and 2 are emitting dangerous chemicals, such as heavy metals and carcinogenic PAHs.
Inspections conducted in February and August revealed pollutants at levels 20 times higher than the permissible limit at factory 1 and five times higher at plant 2, according to a study released on December 19. Tata Steel has been given eight weeks by the Environmental Service to resolve these infractions prior to a follow-up evaluation.
Tata Steel replied that it disagreed with the notification’s content and its underlying justifications and that it was committed to improving the plants. The business is looking to have more conversations with the province, the Environmental Service, and other interested parties.
In the statement, the steelmaker highlighted that the plant “is vital to our ongoing operations and our Green Steel strategy,” expressing that “we are saddened by the way these decisions were made.”
Since 2023, both coking gas plants have been under further attention. The Expert Group Health IJmond recommended closing the dilapidated plant 2 earlier this year in order to lower safety hazards. Tata Steel intends to maintain the factory’s operations until at least 2029, nevertheless. Toxic elements released from the plant’s “raw coke” manufacturing have already resulted in fines from the Environmental Service.
The Environmental Service declared in October that measures would be implemented because factory 2 does not comply with the law. With a year to put the required modifications into place, Tata Steel now has six weeks to submit a plan of action to bring the mill into compliance. The Environmental Service may cancel the business’s license if it doesn’t comply with the law within that time.
