Tata Steel used damaged ovens for years, emitted harmful smoke, watchdog says
Tata Steel’s Coke Gas Plant 2 is in worse condition than previously reported, according to an inspection by the North Sea Canal Area Environmental Agency (Omgevingsdienst Noordzeekanaalgebied). The plant, which has been under scrutiny for years due to maintenance delays and emissions, has multiple ovens with cracked walls that can leak harmful substances into the air, according to NOS.
The Omgevingsdienst reported in December that 18 of the plant’s 108 ovens had at least one oven wall rated as “completely insufficient.” Another 81 ovens had at least one wall part that received a failing rating. The report states that “oven walls that are classified as insufficient are damaged walls that can lead to leaks.”
This use of damaged ovens violates Tata Steel’s environmental permit, according to the report. The agency said it does not consider it likely that the company is able to resolve the violations.
The damage is linked to a lack of maintenance over several years. The Omgevingsdienst said the result is “significant and irreversible.” Inspectors described Tata Steel’s approach as “calculating and opportunistic.”
Some of the damaged ovens have remained in use for years. Between 2021 and 2024, the company replaced 20 fewer oven walls than originally planned, according to the report.
In a period of just over one year, the inspection agency recorded 380 instances of black smoke emissions from the plant. The agency stated that the emissions released substances “very harmful to people and the environment.”
According to the Omgevingsdienst, the continued use of ovens known to be faulty contributed directly to these emissions. The agency wrote to Tata Steel: “This means you are choosing to continue using and not repairing ovens that you know, or should know, lead to dust emissions that you can and therefore should have prevented.”
Andy Palmen, director of Greenpeace Nederland, responded to the report: “The outdated and harmful Coke Gas Plant 2, located next to Wijk aan Zee, is nearly falling apart.”
The Omgevingsdienst has given Tata Steel one year to bring the plant into compliance with environmental regulations. If the company fails to meet those requirements, the facility may be shut down.
Tata Steel stated that it has repaired the ovens and that they now “meet the requirements, in our view.” A spokesperson confirmed that 20 ovens are permanently out of service and nine others are temporarily shut down for maintenance.
“This is the current status. We are investing a considerable amount in maintenance at the coke gas plant,” the spokesperson said. Tata Steel is currently in talks with the Omgevingsdienst. “We want to exit the legal process and are now working on creating a plan of action,” the company stated.
