Tata Steel wins the CII Greenco Star Performer Award

Tata Steel was presented with the coveted Greenco Star Performer Award on July 4, 2019 at the 8th edition of Greenco Summit held in New Delhi. In addition, the Company’s R&D project titled “Development of Multi-nutrient Sulphate fertiliser from LD (steelmaking) Slag waste” bagged the Most Innovative Project recognition at the 6th edition of CII Environmental Best Practices Award 2019, organised in association with United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

The Greenco Star Performer award was received by Mr. Sanjiv Paul, Vice President (Safety, Health & Sustainability) on behalf of Tata Steel at a three-day conference held in New Delhi from July 3-5, 2019. At the conference, leading national and international experts discussed the best-in-class practices in Green including Green Marketing & Branding and experiences of Greenco champions.

Mr. Sanjiv Paul, Vice President (Safety, Health & Sustainability), Tata Steel, said: “Producing Sulphate fertiliser from LD Slag fines is a good example of how Tata Steel innovates in crucial areas like reducing waste and turning waste into products of economic value. As an inorganic fertilizer and soil conditioner, it has huge potential in a country like India where agriculture is still the primary source of livelihood for a vast majority. We thank CII for the ‘Most Innovative Project’ recognition and the Greenco Star Performer award.”

Accounting for 20% of the steel produced, LD (steelmaking) slag has tremendous value potential, especially in context of acidic soil found in states of Jharkhand, Odisha and Assam. Today, it is an established organic fertilizer, good for soil and plants. It can do wonders in augmenting productivity while turning wasteland green.

The Company’s research journey of converting LD (steelmaking) Slag fines into a soil conditioner/fertiliser through the chemical processing started in the year 2014 with lab scale studies followed by setting-up of a demo plant in 2015 and initial testing of the product in the year 2016. Based on the encouraging results from the field trials, collaboration MOUs with Universities like Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswa Vidyalaya (BCKV) Mohanpur in West Bengal, University of Agriculture Science in Bengaluru and The Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) in New Delhi were signed and currently the field trials are in progress. The seed marketing of the product from the trial production shows tremendous benefits for agricultural soil (in India) and crops in terms of yield.

The annual CII Greenco summit is organised to further advance the need and importance of green initiatives in the Indian industry and enable sharing of latest green concepts and technologies. The 8th edition of the GreenCo Summit was organised under the theme of fostering and promoting sustainable models focusing on the manufacturing sectors, including sectors like iron and steel.

Source and Photo: Tata Steel