Post by Markqpr on Feb 24, 2010 17:27:34 GMT
Originally posted Feb 5, 2010.
Reposted here upon request:
Before we call for Mr. Burns to take over please consider the following, provided solely as food for thought:
Mittal Steel has a global reputation of having no regard for environment, communities and fair labour practices in countries where it operates steel mills, such as Ireland, Mexico, Romania, Poland, South Africa, United States, etc.
In South Africa, the communities are fighting against Mittal Steel's pollution as well as intimidation against families who have refused to sell their land for their expansion plan. Even as Mittal was negotiating a deal with the Orissa government in India with a promise of environmental and social compliance, the South African government began a criminal investigation into Arcelor Mittal's malpractice at their Vereeniging plant for continued dumping of hazardous waste at an unauthorised site, despite repeated instructions to stop.
A July 2007 investigation detailed environmental and legal contraventions, and significant pollution of surface and groundwater with phenols, iron, oil, fluoride and other hazardous substances.
In September 2006, 41 miners died in Arcelor Mittal-owned Lenin coalmines in Kazakhstan and meanwhile the workers went on strike demanding pay raises and improved safety. Workers have also alleged that Arcelor Mittal has done little to improve labour and safety conditions since taking over Kazakhstan's largest metal factory and its associated mines, according to a report in the International Herald Tribune.
What's more, Mittal's flouting of environmental and labour norms is not limited to just developing countries. Even in the US, the company has provoked regulatory action and citizen protests. In August 2006, the US EPA cited Mittal Steel USA Inc. for alleged clean-air violations at the company's steel mill in Indiana, stating that Mittal modified a coke oven battery that resulted in a significant increase in sulfur dioxide emissions, without getting a state permit. The state requires the best available technology to control the emissions
At an Ohio steel plant, which Mittal Steel took over in 2005, local communities are up in arms over the high levels of pollution and related health problems. Since the takeover, the pollution record of the Ohio plant has deteriorated — they quietly admitted to the Ohio EPA that the plant spewed 3.2 million pounds of pollution more than its 2005 emission of 41.0 million pounds, into the air over the city of Cleveland in 2006. The emissions include carbon dioxide, soot, volatile organic compounds, and lead.
Mittal's record of addressing public grievances has also been awful. Laxmi Mittal and his CEOs in the US have continuously denied the communities' demand to engage with the public in Ohio despite citizens sending 24,500 personal, handwritten letters and petitions.
Deja vu in Orissa?
In India just weeks after the MoU between Orissa government and Arcelor Mittal was signed, the people of Keonjhar started protesting against the deal. Taking note of the plight of other communities evicted due to a myriad of development projects in Orissa, people are not ready to give away their lands, which is often their only source of livelihood. Angry villagers from 17 villages have also demonstrated in front of Keonjhar District Collector's office demanding that their land should not be acquired for the Mittal steel plant. The land sought for the project is a multi-crop, fertile, and irrigated agricultural land. The voice of these people is strong, and it is likely that they will not give up their land easily, which will be a problem for both the Orissa government and Mittal.
For its part, the Orissa government has so far paid more attention to the Mittal's possible investment than its well-established record of flouting environmental and social norms. If the government tries to force Arcelor Mittal Steel on its people, it may once again face a situation like Kalinganagar. The tribal people of Orissa, who are poor and are always asked to move and give up their livelihood, will not hesitate to resist -- because they are being left with no choice. It is yet to be seen whether the Orissa government has learned anything at all about its people and their will. ⊕
Sunita Dubey 8 Aug 2007
Sunita Dubey is based in Boston and is a coordinator of Groundwork, which works on environmental justice issues in South Africa.
www.indiatogether.org/2007/aug/env-mittal.htm
References:
1. Throwing Stones at a Giant by Jacklyn Cock and Viktor Munnik
2. Green police pounce on Mittal Steel, Business Report
3. EPA cites Mittal Steel for Clean Air Violations
4. Smoke and Mirrors: Mittal Steel's Playbook to cover up their pollution
Reposted here upon request:
Before we call for Mr. Burns to take over please consider the following, provided solely as food for thought:
Mittal Steel has a global reputation of having no regard for environment, communities and fair labour practices in countries where it operates steel mills, such as Ireland, Mexico, Romania, Poland, South Africa, United States, etc.
In South Africa, the communities are fighting against Mittal Steel's pollution as well as intimidation against families who have refused to sell their land for their expansion plan. Even as Mittal was negotiating a deal with the Orissa government in India with a promise of environmental and social compliance, the South African government began a criminal investigation into Arcelor Mittal's malpractice at their Vereeniging plant for continued dumping of hazardous waste at an unauthorised site, despite repeated instructions to stop.
A July 2007 investigation detailed environmental and legal contraventions, and significant pollution of surface and groundwater with phenols, iron, oil, fluoride and other hazardous substances.
In September 2006, 41 miners died in Arcelor Mittal-owned Lenin coalmines in Kazakhstan and meanwhile the workers went on strike demanding pay raises and improved safety. Workers have also alleged that Arcelor Mittal has done little to improve labour and safety conditions since taking over Kazakhstan's largest metal factory and its associated mines, according to a report in the International Herald Tribune.
What's more, Mittal's flouting of environmental and labour norms is not limited to just developing countries. Even in the US, the company has provoked regulatory action and citizen protests. In August 2006, the US EPA cited Mittal Steel USA Inc. for alleged clean-air violations at the company's steel mill in Indiana, stating that Mittal modified a coke oven battery that resulted in a significant increase in sulfur dioxide emissions, without getting a state permit. The state requires the best available technology to control the emissions
At an Ohio steel plant, which Mittal Steel took over in 2005, local communities are up in arms over the high levels of pollution and related health problems. Since the takeover, the pollution record of the Ohio plant has deteriorated — they quietly admitted to the Ohio EPA that the plant spewed 3.2 million pounds of pollution more than its 2005 emission of 41.0 million pounds, into the air over the city of Cleveland in 2006. The emissions include carbon dioxide, soot, volatile organic compounds, and lead.
Mittal's record of addressing public grievances has also been awful. Laxmi Mittal and his CEOs in the US have continuously denied the communities' demand to engage with the public in Ohio despite citizens sending 24,500 personal, handwritten letters and petitions.
Deja vu in Orissa?
In India just weeks after the MoU between Orissa government and Arcelor Mittal was signed, the people of Keonjhar started protesting against the deal. Taking note of the plight of other communities evicted due to a myriad of development projects in Orissa, people are not ready to give away their lands, which is often their only source of livelihood. Angry villagers from 17 villages have also demonstrated in front of Keonjhar District Collector's office demanding that their land should not be acquired for the Mittal steel plant. The land sought for the project is a multi-crop, fertile, and irrigated agricultural land. The voice of these people is strong, and it is likely that they will not give up their land easily, which will be a problem for both the Orissa government and Mittal.
For its part, the Orissa government has so far paid more attention to the Mittal's possible investment than its well-established record of flouting environmental and social norms. If the government tries to force Arcelor Mittal Steel on its people, it may once again face a situation like Kalinganagar. The tribal people of Orissa, who are poor and are always asked to move and give up their livelihood, will not hesitate to resist -- because they are being left with no choice. It is yet to be seen whether the Orissa government has learned anything at all about its people and their will. ⊕
Sunita Dubey 8 Aug 2007
Sunita Dubey is based in Boston and is a coordinator of Groundwork, which works on environmental justice issues in South Africa.
www.indiatogether.org/2007/aug/env-mittal.htm
References:
1. Throwing Stones at a Giant by Jacklyn Cock and Viktor Munnik
2. Green police pounce on Mittal Steel, Business Report
3. EPA cites Mittal Steel for Clean Air Violations
4. Smoke and Mirrors: Mittal Steel's Playbook to cover up their pollution