The public prosecutor demanded a fine of 150,000 Euros against Tata Steel, of which 50,000 Euros were conditional. Among other things, the judiciary accuses the steel giant of spreading potentially harmful dust clouds in the region.
According to the public prosecutor, five crimes committed by the steel company between 2018 and 2021 were revealed in four investigations. In two cases, the company deliberately violated the environmental permit, causing dust dispersal and in one case black profit, according to the judiciary. On February 15 last year, an eyewitness saw snow falling near the company turn black due to carbon emissions.
A third case concerned the unauthorized discharge of wastewater into factory sewers and a fourth case concerned unlawful action and non-compliance with a regulation in a steel slag cooling operation. Tata Steel launched a second attempt to water-cool steel slag in December 2019, after the first attempt failed. According to the statement of the public prosecutor, failure to comply with the agreements in the second hearing caused an odor problem.
Three of the four reports were submitted by the North Sea Canal Zone Environment Department, with which the prosecution worked closely with the investigation. Statement on the discharge of wastewater was published by Rijkswaterstaat.
Tata Steel says it differs from prosecutors in a few ways, but understands its responsibilities. “We regret that these four cases have occurred.”
The conditional fine demanded by the public prosecutor is subject to a three-year probationary period. The court will decide next month.
Concerns about health outcomes
Those who have lived near the factory for years are concerned about the substances released into the environment and the health consequences. Previous research by the RIVM has shown that the population of the IJmond region suffers from acute health problems such as headaches and nausea more frequently than people elsewhere in the Netherlands.
The four investigations conducted by the public prosecutor are separate from more than 1,100 individuals and companies’ complaints against the company in IJmuiden. They demand that the Tata Steel administration take “radical steps” to stop the negative impact on local people. According to the public prosecutor’s office, investigations into this case are still in full swing.
Source: NOS
Roy Brown is a renowned economist and author at The Nation View. He has a deep understanding of the global economy and its intricacies. He writes about a wide range of economic topics, including monetary policy, fiscal policy, international trade, and labor markets.
