Tata Steel to face criminal charges for pollution

The public prosecution service has summoned Tata Steel to face criminal charges for intentionally releasing illegal pollutants and failing to report industrial accidents.

“The criminal investigation offers sufficient grounds to initiate criminal prosecution against the company and bring the case before the court,” public prosecutors (OM) said in a statement.

The OM is also considering whether “individuals in a managerial role may be personally liable.”

Prosecutors first launched an investigation into the IJmuiden-based manufacturer in 2022, looking into whether company executives could be charged for endangering public health.

The move came after a lawyer filed a complaint on behalf of 800 plaintiffs who say they were affected by dust clouds and contaminated water.

The investigation has already netted a €150,000 fine for violations of the company’s environmental permit.

Earlier this year, in a separate investigation, Tata paid €8.5 million in fines for breaking the environmental norms set for two coke plants, which are threatened with closure because they emit heavy metal particles and benzene, which is carcinogenic.

In December, residents living near the steelworks filed a mass legal claim against the company, seeking compensation for health damage and falling house prices that could total around €1.4 billion.

The company made headlines last month after it sacked former environmental campaigner Donald Pols on the second day of his controversial new job as Tata’s director of sustainability and head of communications.

A hearing in the criminal investigation is scheduled for November.