The court in Haarlem is busy. Three parties are represented: Tata Steel, the Provincial Executive and various organizations that stand up for local residents, such as the village council and the Frisse Wind Foundation.
Appeal
The central issue is the raw coke emissions from Tata Steel. This is not allowed in the current permit. Yet it happens and the company is fined for it. The third penalty is now increasing.
Tata Steel states that the formation of undercooked coke is a normal by-product of the production process. The company therefore wants the permit to be adjusted. In addition, Tata will appeal against the fines imposed.
Tata Steel previously challenged the Environment Agency for the same reason. The court denied this request. Today the appeal is due.
Waterproof definition
Undercooked coke occurs when the coke is burned at too low a temperature. Dangerous gases are then not burned but enter the environment. According to Tata Steel, there is no watertight definition of what exactly undercooked cokes are. And without a watertight definition it is impossible to comply with the current environmental permit. The Environment Agency sees it differently, according to them production without undercooked coke is possible and it is therefore not necessary to adjust the environmental permit.