Jamshedpur: Observing the upcoming World Environment Day 2015, Tata Steel will celebrate the month of June as ‘Tata Sustainability Month’, a Tata Group initiative under which various initiatives are being undertaken across the Tata Group. Tata Steel’s theme for this month is resource efficiency and sustainable consumption and production as captured in the slogan ‘Conserve to Preserve’.
The overarching theme of the Tata Sustainability Month (TSM) is SMART 21 (Sustainable Meaningful Actions for a Responsible TATA) and where 21 stands for the 21 days theory of habit formation and behaviour as known in motivation circles.
A pioneer in adopting Sustainability as a Policy, Tata Steel is guided by the approach that wealth created must be given back to the society. The responsibility of combining the three elements – social, environmental and economic – is of utmost importance to the way of life at Tata Steel. It is the combination of these three elements that ensures that business is sustainable for all stakeholders.
Some of the key green and sustainability initiatives undertaken at Tata Steel Works and the city of Jamshedpur are given below:
Green Cover
A green cover of trees is being constantly created and monitored. Tata Steel has taken a target of greening about 30% of total leased land in Jamshedpur by 2015. Up till now, a total of 39005 saplings have been planted.
Slope Stabilization
The slopes or over burdens that have been created due to slag accumulation or soil excavation are being rapidly given a green carpet. A total of 8400 sq m area has been covered under slope stabilization.
Fugitive Dust Suppression
To take care of Fugitive dust which is an air pollutant, it has been mandated that all open areas inside the plant be either concreted, or paved with inter-locking paver’s block or through ground cover plantation. A total of 53,310 sq m area has been brought under this project, presently.
Land Reclamation/ Eco restoration – Kalimati Eco Park
Kalimati Eco Park is a classic example of land reclamation within Jamshedpur Works. With the obsolescence of A & B Blast Furnaces, the erstwhile Blower House#1 and the intake basin became redundant. The area was reclaimed by land filling using solid waste and good earth generated from excavation done during the project execution of 3 MnTPA expansions.
Air pollution Control
Dust emission improved significantly (stabilization of APC) principally due to engagement of operations & maintenance. Average dust emissions from stacks reduced from 1kg/tcs in FY13 & 0.8 kg/tcs in FY14 and 0.5 kg/tcs in FY15.
Air Quality Improvement
New DFDS (dry fog dust suppression); IVCs (Industrial Vacuum Cleaners), Charging & Pushing Emission control systems were installed at CSI to abate fugitive dust emissions.
Water Pollution Control Performance
Water management infrastructure is under augmentation with the aim to achieve Zero Effluent Discharge. Construction for catch pits and recycling infrastructure for 4 industrial effluent discharge points have been completed. New wastewater treatment facility has been installed and commissioned for new Coke Oven Battery in Coke Oven. Rainwater Harvesting facilities have been installed in 8 Works buildings. A rainwater harvesting facility has been installed at reclaimed waste dump site in Jamshedpur (JMD) to supply water for green cover maintenance.
Land Pollution Control through Waste Management
- Collaborative initiatives with Cement companies for usage of L.D. Slag in cement making
- Manufacturing of Paver Blocks using LD Slag to increase the utilization
- Solid Waste utilization improved to 78.3% in FY15 compared to 78.0% in FY14 due to increased utilization in Sinter Plants
Mitigation of Climate Change through abatement of GHG Emission intensity
- CO2 emission intensity has reduced by 2% from 2.52 tCO2/tcs in 2012-13 to 2.41 tCO2/tcs in 2014-15 through better capacity utilization (ramp-up to 9.7 MnTPA capacity) and energy conservation efforts
- Jamshedpur Steel Works continues to be the national benchmark in CO2 emission intensity in India (BF-BOF route in Iron & Steel sector). CO2 emission intensity has come down from 2.66 tCO2/tcs in FY08 to 2.41 in FY15
