The company said the Dutch Public Prosecution Office issued the summons to TSIJ on July 8, 2026, over alleged pollution at Coke and Gas Plants (CGP/KGF) 1 and 2 at IJmuiden. Tata Steel informed the exchanges that its management had been studying the impact of the summons and the further course of action before making the disclosure.
TSIJ explains allegations over ‘undercooked coke’
In response to the prosecution decision, Tata Steel IJmuiden B.V. issued a statement to Dutch media on July 8, saying the matter relates to discussions it has had for some time with the North Sea Canal Area Environmental Service (Omgevingsdienst Noordzeekanaalgebied), the relevant supervisory authority, regarding the occurrence of “undercooked coke.”
The company explained that coke serves a dual purpose in the steelmaking process. It is used to reduce iron ore into iron and also acts as a fuel to generate the high temperatures required in blast furnaces for producing liquid pig iron.
Tata Steel IJmuiden B.V. said it manufactures this coke in KGF 1 and KGF 2, producing around 135,000 batches, or pushes, every year. “TSIJ seeks to minimise such undercooked coke, but in an industrial production process of this scale it is technically unavoidable that, on occasion, a coke batch is not fully cooked.”
According to the company, an undercooked batch results in a short-term peak emission. It said that because of the scale and nature of industrial production, it is technically impossible to provide an absolute guarantee that undercooked coke will never occur. “Therefore, an absolute guarantee to prevent undercooked coke can never be given.”
Tata Steel IJmuiden says incidents have declined sharply
Tata Steel IJmuiden B.V. said it has been engaged in an extensive technical dialogue with the Environmental Service for a considerable period on the issue and has introduced multiple operational improvements over the last several years.
The company said those measures have significantly reduced the occurrence of undercooked coke. “Based on those discussions and the measures taken, TSIJ has implemented substantial and tangible improvements since 2020.”
Tata Steel IJmuiden B.V. said the number of instances of undercooked coke has fallen by 98%. Between January 2020 and May 2026, the average occurrence was less than 0.011%, which the company said is below the industry average.
The company also provided a year-wise update on the incidents, saying that despite producing around 135,000 pushes annually, there was one instance in 2023 and no instances in 2024 or 2025. “For these reasons, TSIJ considers the allegations fundamentally to be unjustified.”
Tata Steel IJmuiden says criminal proceedings are unnecessary
Tata Steel IJmuiden B.V. also questioned the need for criminal proceedings over what it described as a limited number of historical incidents, saying those issues had already been addressed through technical improvements implemented over the years.
“TSIJ also considers it unnecessary to initiate criminal proceedings regarding a limited number of KGF incidents from the past, which have in fact been the subject of technical improvements.”
The company said it has been in continuous discussions with the Environmental Service on the issue of undercooked coke and believes the prosecution does not contribute anything beyond those ongoing discussions.
Green Steel Project and legal defence
Tata Steel IJmuiden B.V. added that KGF 1 and KGF 2 are already scheduled to be shut down in the coming years under its Green Steel Project, through which the company plans to transition to a more sustainable method of steel production.
“KGF 1 and 2 will in any event be fully closed in the coming years as part of the Green Steel Project, through which TSIJ will transition to a more sustainable method of steel production.”
The company said it is reviewing the allegations made by the Dutch Public Prosecution Office and will respond during the legal proceedings. “The allegations are being further reviewed by TSIJ. A substantive defence will, of course, be presented during the court proceedings.”
Commitment to community and lower emissions
Tata Steel IJmuiden B.V. said the prosecution decision has had a significant impact on the company.
“The decision by the Public Prosecution Service (OM) to prosecute Tata Steel IJmuiden (TSIJ) for allowing undercooked coke to occur in the Coke and Gas Plants (KGF) 1 and 2 and for not reporting this in a timely manner deeply affects the company.”
The company said it considers being a good neighbour to the local community to be of fundamental importance and remains committed to reducing its impact on the surrounding area wherever possible. Tata Steel IJmuiden B.V. said it takes concerns and criticism seriously and will continue implementing measures aimed at continuous improvement.
The company also disclosed that Tata Steel Nederland’s CO₂ intensity is approximately 1.66 tonnes of CO₂ per tonne of crude steel produced, which it said places the company among the most CO₂-efficient integrated steel producers globally.
Shares of Tata Steel Ltd ended at ₹191.15, up by ₹1.78, or 3.35%, on the BSE.
