Tata Steel started too late with the greening of the production process. That is what director Hans van den Berg of the steel factory says to NH News. According to Van den Berg, the criticism of the company has “definitely accelerated”.
Van den Berg realizes that a lot needs to be done and a lot of improvement. “Always that story of the clothesline, where you can remove a layer of Tata fabric with your finger. That is no longer of this time. You don’t want that anymore? That may have been normal in the past, but not anymore,” he tells the regional broadcaster.
Tata Steel is the largest production company and the largest CO2 emitter in the Netherlands. The steel factory has been under fire for years. Last September it turned out a critical RIVM report that people living near the company are exposed to far more harmful substances than people in the rest of the country.
Hydrogen
Company announced last year to stop using coal in the production of steel, thereby reducing particulate matter and CO2 emissions. Initially, the company wants to switch to natural gas and eventually to green hydrogen.
By 2030, coal should no longer be needed. The company also wants to reduce dust, stench and noise nuisance while remaining profitable.
Van den Berg admits that all this together is a lot. But according to the director it is not the case that one of those things can just be deleted. “The nuisance and emissions that we cause must be solved in a short time. It is crucial that this succeeds.”
Regain trust
According to Van den Berg, it is also difficult to make clear that the company is on the right track. “We are not under a magnifying glass, but under a microscope. All documents are sent to the government, everything is wobbed, everything is dug through, that is the reality. And everything is communicated very quickly via social media. And you have mistrust, and there would be I want to get rid of it. So we need to communicate even better.”
According to Van den Berg, it is important that the confidence of many residents of IJmond is regained. “We just have to improve physically. According to our measurements, we are already doing that, but it only starts to take effect when the perception of local residents changes. Like: they are living up to what they have said,” he says.
“It would be great if we take another step in that direction in 2022. But I have no illusions that confidence will be completely back at the end of this year.”
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