Tata Steel sued by Dutch foundation for €1.4 billion over alleged health damages

New Delhi: A Dutch environmental nonprofit has launched legal action seeking €1.4 billion, or about $1.6 billion, in damages from Tata Steel’s operations in the Netherlands, alleging that years of harmful emissions have damaged the environment and affected the health of local residents.

In a statement issued on Friday, Tata Steel said the foundation Stichting Frisse Wind has filed papers at the District Court North Holland in Haarlem to initiate the lawsuit. The claim relates to the company’s facilities in Velsen-Noord, where the group is seeking compensation on behalf of residents for alleged increased vulnerability to health problems and declining property values.

The case comes amid heightened regulatory attention on Tata Steel’s European business. In 2024, Dutch authorities warned the company it could face fines approaching €27 million and said a coke plant at the port of IJmuiden could be closed if toxic emissions were not significantly reduced. Separately, prosecutors in 2022 opened an investigation into whether Tata Steel and a partner knowingly polluted soil, air and water with hazardous substances.

Tata Steel said it is reviewing the documents and has “strong arguments” in its defence. The company added that the collective action process involves two phases, each expected to take two to three years.

In September, Tata Steel unveiled plans for an emissions reduction project costing up to €6.5 billion at its Dutch operations, with the Dutch state set to contribute as much as €2 billion.with agency inputs