World Earth Day-2024:Tata Steel Pioneering Sustainability Innovations for a Greener Future
Bhubaneswar: Throughout human history, our relationship with the Earth has often been likened to that of children nurtured by a caring mother. The Earth, with its rich resources and diverse ecosystems, has provided for us for generations. However, the excessive exploitation of these resources has strained the planet’s ability to regenerate itself, resulting in environmental degradation and imbalance.
Recognizing the pressing need for change, Tata Steel has emerged as a leader in sustainability on the global stage. With a dedication to responsible practices, the company is spearheading innovative solutions to minimize its environmental impact and pave the way for a more environmentally friendly future.
Minimizing Carbon Footprint: Tata Steel is leading efforts to reduce carbon emissions, in line with the Tata Group’s ambitious target of achieving Net Zero emissions by 2045 through Project “Aalingana”. Embracing a circular economy approach, the company is not only reducing carbon emissions from its operations but also focusing on minimizing resource usage and waste generation. From establishing an Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) based steel plant in Ludhiana with minimal carbon emissions to experimenting with hydrogen injection in blast furnaces, Tata Steel is driving sustainable steelmaking forward. The recent trial of green steelmaking at the Jamshedpur Works, involving the injection of hydrogen gas into a blast furnace, marks a significant milestone in the company’s journey towards carbon neutrality.
Embracing Sustainability: Tata Steel’s steel plant at Kalinganagar has achieved an impressive 33% green cover, meeting statutory requirements while maintaining zero effluent discharge. Employing innovative methods like the Miyawaki plantation technique, Tata Steel has planted approximately 800,000 saplings to establish denser greenery in and around Kalinganagar. Furthermore, the plant has achieved 100% utilization of solid waste and implemented measures to optimize water usage, thereby reducing freshwater consumption.
Resource Optimization: In its pursuit of resource efficiency and eco-friendly operations across its facilities, Tata Steel has installed Industrial Vacuum Cleaning Systems (IVCS) and Dust Extraction (DE) systems at its Kalinganagar steel plant to minimize emissions. Additionally, the plant is progressing towards installing a 19 MW solar power panel and has embraced sustainability through the Go-Green initiative by incorporating 15 electric vehicles for employee transportation.
Biodiversity Conservation: As part of its environmental commitment, the company has revitalized a 9.5-acre pond in Odapada village near Tata Steel Meramandali, enhancing water conservation capacity and benefiting 600 individuals. Through stakeholder engagement and expert consultation, Tata Steel has developed Biodiversity Management Plans (BMP) for 17 sites, with plans to extend coverage to all sites in the near future. The company has planted 200,000 trees across its locations between April 2023 and January 2024.
Industry Leadership and Collaboration: In the fiscal year 2022-23, Tata Steel achieved a significant milestone by achieving 100% utilization of solid waste at its Kalinganagar, Meramandali, and Jamshedpur units, showcasing its proactive stance on waste management and sustainability. Furthermore, it has established partnerships with various institutions and organizations, including the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras and the Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad, to pioneer innovative technologies. The company is also promoting sustainability through its flagship start-up engagement program, Innoventure, with 55% of its current engagements focused on sustainability and decarbonization.
