Dutch charity threatens legal action against Tata Steel

25 Aug 2023 , 11:57 AM

The initial steps in legal action against steel giant Tata were taken on Thursday by a Dutch charity on behalf of at least 1,400 people, who claim the company is to blame for pollution in the area of Amsterdam that has sickened locals.

Residents and health officials are increasingly criticizing Tata Steel’s sizable factory at the mouth of the IJ river west of the capital, claiming it is the primary cause of contamination in the air, soil, and water.

According to the FrisseWind.nu foundation, ‘a bailiff delivered a notice of liability to the company’ on Wednesday.

It noted in a statement that ‘this liability claim is the first formal step in the mass damages claim announced earlier this year.’

The foundation wrote to Tata, whose parent company is headquartered in India, requesting that they come to an agreement over compensation.

‘We would like to receive confirmation within four weeks to date that you are reasonably prepared to discuss this with us,’ the letter stated.

FrisseWind.nu, which translates to ‘Fresh Air Now’ in Dutch, continued, ‘Failing this, we will assume that there is no willingness on your part to enter into such consultations and we will be free to take legal action against you.’

Tata Steel could not be reached right away for comment.

However, the business informed public broadcaster NOS that it intended to carefully review the letter before making any comments and said that it has already made a number of steps to lessen emissions and annoyances from the facility.

The letter from the foundation is the newest obstacle for Tata Steel in the Netherlands, where it directly employs some 9,000 people, many of whom reside close to the facility and is a significant contributor to the country’s economy.

The steel company is already dealing with other legal issues, and Dutch prosecutors launched a criminal investigation into potential ‘intentional and unlawful’ contamination in February of last year.

According to a report published by Dutch health authorities last year, Tata is the primary source of metal pollution and so-called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in the IJmuiden region.

Long-term exposure may cause many types of cancer as well as other harmful health effects.

One of the biggest sources of CO2 emissions in the Netherlands, according to Dutch emission authorities, is the Tata Steel facility.

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