“Study on the origin of substances in dust and air in the IJmond area” appeared. The two main conclusions from this report are: i) the emission data in the annual reports of Tata Steel underestimate the real emissions of contaminants by a factor 5 to 1,000, and ii) the PAH contamination in the IJmond region originates for more than 99% from Tata Steel. Other sources like ships and road traffic have only a minor contribution. The importance of this report is in the link of Tata Steel with the PAH emissions. It is known that the population of Beverwijk has a 50% higher risk for cancer. Many PAHs are directly linked to cancer. The PAH patterns in the dust samples showed a profile that matches the output of a steelwork industry, with cokes as a primary source. The findings call for a better protection of the public health in this area.
RIVM report about Tata Steel
29 January 2022
At Friday 28 January 2022 the RIVM report 2021-026, entitled: