STERLITE INDUSTRY, TUTICORIN - HISTORY, CONSEQUENCES, POLLUTION ISSUES AND VARIOUS IMPACTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT

1. STERLITE COPPER INDUSTRY
POLLUTION AND ITS IMPACTS ON
ENVIRONMENT
PREPARED BY
R.SHUNMUGA PRIYA
ANNA UNIVERSITY - CEG

2. OVERVIEW
ӿ The Tuticorin facility – 1996 - located approximately 15 kilometers inland from the port of
Tuticorin
ӿ India’s largest copper smelters based on production volume
ӿ Although it has many economical contributions and financial benefits for the country, the local
residents are seeing it as a greatest health hazard and say it is crucial for the local economy
and farmers.
ӿ Thus from the beginning in 1996 itself the company facing various issues, protests etc…
ӿ As the Sterlite industry now got its permission from the government to extend its factory twice
as present today, it would be a great risk for the future generation if the rules and regulations
are not followed properly by the industries as now.
ӿ The various impacts are discussed in this paper

3. STERLITE
INDUSTRY
Unit of the Sesa
Sterlite Limited
largest non–ferrous
metals and mining
company
fastest growing
private sector
India’s leading
copper producer
principal subsidiary of
Vedanta Resources

4. BENEFITS
EMPLOYS 4,000 &
SUPPORTS MANY
JOBS INDIRECTLY.
3% TAMILNADU
GDP
44% INDIAN
COPPER SUPPLY
WORLD’S 7TH
LARGEST COPPER
PRODUCER
2ND IN INDIA FOR
PHOSPHORIC ACID
PRODUCTION
3RD IN INDIA FOR
SULPHURIC ACID
PRODUCTION

5. MAIN
PRODUCTS
COPPER CATHODE
Copper
wire bars,
bus bars,
billets,
ingots,
moulds
Copper
based
alloys &
downstrea
m products
Copper
tubes,
strips
and
foils
CONTINUOUS CAST
RODS (CCR)
Telephone
cables,
communica
tion cables
and power
cables
Magnetic
wires,
winding
wires &
automobile
wire
harness
House
wiring and
transformers
and
conductors

6. BY PRODUCTS
DORE
PHOSPHORIC
ACID
SULPHURIC
ACID
FERRO SANDHYDRO FLUORO
SILICIC ACID GYPSUM
SLIME

7. METHODOLOGY

9. S.NO. TECHNOLOGY PURPOSE
1 IsaProcess™ from MIM, Australia In Copper smelting technology
2 CS 3000 Distributed Control System of
Yokogawa, Japan
Controls the entire Copper Smelter.
3 Advance Process Control (APC) Implemented to control critical factors like Bath
temperature and Lance height control
4 absorption process known as DCDA In sulphuric acid plant
5 Hemi-dihydrate (HDH) Process In phosphoric acid plant
6 IsaProcess™ technology Process anode in refineries
7 Continuus Properzi, Italy Maintain optimum level of molten metal
8 ASARCO technology, USA Cathodes are melted in a vertical shaft furnace

10. PHOSPHORIC
ACID
USED IN FERTILIZER MANUFACTURING
PHOSPHORIC ACID IS ALSO USED IN MAKING ANIMAL FEEDS LIKE DI-
CALCIUM PHOSPHATE (DCP) AND MONO DIBASIC CALCIUM
PHOSPHATE (MDCP).
SULPHURIC ACID
WIDELY USED INDUSTRIAL CHEMICAL
MANUFACTURE OF FERTILIZERS AND PHOSPHORIC ACID
IMPORTANT INPUT IN THE MINING, OIL REFINING, PULP AND
PAPER, DETERGENT MANUFACTURING AND STEEL INDUSTRIES
MAJOR BYPRODUCTS AND ITS APPLICATION

11. FERRO SAND
PAVER BLOCKS AND BRICKS manufacturing process – 25%
Replacement of fine aggregate
CONCRETE APPLICATIONS – Ferro Sand can replace river sand in fine
aggregate up to 50%
PHOSPHO
GYPSUM
used in Cement Industries, Brick Manufacturers and Plaster of
Paris manufacturing
economical and quality SUBSTITUTE FOR NATURAL GYPSUM
widely used in FERTILIZER APPLICATIONS FOR SOIL RECLAMATION
SAND / LANDFILLING – 100% replacement & best alternative
option for gravel/ red soil/ river sand
ROAD APPLICATION – Replacement of fine aggregates up to
20%

12. Earlier 1994
• MAHARASHTRA- ALPHONSO MANGO- REJECTED- AFTER COPPER
FACTORY - PUBLIC STARTED PROTEST - SHUT DOWN PERMANENTLY
• AFTER THEY WENT TO GUJARAT, GOA – BUT NOT ALLOWED
Later 1994
• ENTER TAMIL NADU IN THE TUTICORIN DISTRICT - AT FIRST ACCEPTED
• WHEN RECOGNIZED THE IMPACTS - PROTEST AGAINST THE CLOSURE OF
THE COMPANY STARTED
1996
• SUPREME COURT GIVEN PERMISSION TO RUN THE COMPANY DESPITE
OF THE PUBLIC CONCERNS

13. 2005
• 2005 GOVERNMENT STUDY FOUND THE LEVELS OF ARSENIC IN GROUND WATER
NEAR THE SITE WERE EIGHT TIMES THOSE RECOMMENDED BY THE WHO
2009
• EXPANDED THE 400 KTPA BROWNFIELD COPPER SMELTER TO 800 KTPA.
• THE NEW SMELTER USES THE ISA SMELT TECHNOLOGY - CURRENTLY USED
September
28, 2010
• NATIONAL TRUST FOR CLEAN ENVIRONMENT’ FILED THE FIRST WRIT PETITION
AGAINST THE GRANTING OF ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE TO STERLITE
INDUSTRIES
• WITHIN 15 KMS OF ECOLOGICALLY SENSITIVE AND PROHIBITED AREA

14. September
29, 2010
• MADRAS HIGH COURT ORDERED IMMEDIATE CLOSURE OF THE PLANT FOR VIOLATING
VARIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS AND CAUSING POLLUTION
• ALSO TO TAKE ALL NECESSARY STEPS FOR RE-EMPLOYMENT OF THE WORKFORCE
September
30, 2010
• APPROACHED THE SUPREME COURT TO STAY THE MADRAS HIGH COURT'S ORDER
CLOSING ITS COPPER SMELTER PLANT IN TUTICORIN
• THE COMPANY HAS FILED A REVIEW PETITION IN THE HIGH COURT SEEKING THREE
WEEKS TIME TO IMPLEMENT ITS ORDER
March 24,
2013
• VILLAGERS LIVING CLOSE TO STERLITE COPPER INDIA LIMITED COMPLAINED OF
BREATHING DIFFICULTY, VOMITING AND EYE IRRITATION, GIVING RISE TO SUSPICION
OF A SULPHUR DIOXIDE LEAK FROM THE COPPER SMELTING PLANT
• PLANT – SHUT DOWN FOR TWO MONTHS – ON TNPCB ORDER

15. June 17,
2013
• RESUMED OPERATIONS AFTER THE NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL'S (NGT) EXPERT
PANEL GAVE A GREEN SIGNAL
• TNPCB THEN MOVED THE SUPREME COURT SEEKING QUASHING OF THE GREEN
PANEL'S ORDER BUT THE APEX COURT REFUSED TO STAY THE NGT ORDER
May 2011
• NEERI SUBMITTED A REPORT TO THE SUPREME COURT.
• AGAINST A REQUIREMENT OF 176 HECTARES FOR THE 1200 TONNE PLANT, STERLITE HAD
ONLY 102.5 HECTARES
• ALSO, LESS THAN 13 HECTARES – AS AGAINST 43 HECTARES – HAD BEEN GREENED.
2017
• THE STERLITE INDUSTRY NOW GOT ITS PERMISSION FROM THE GOVERNMENT TO EXTEND
ITS FACTORY TWICE AS PRESENT TODAY
• PROTEST AGAINST THE CLOSURE OF THE COMPANY IS STILL GOING ON

16. IMPACT ON SOIL
USES HIGHLY CONTAMINATED
IMPORTED COPPER
CONCENTRATES
BYPRODUCT SLAG - DUMP -
300TONNES/DAY IN
TUTICORIN
USES THE SLAG - EXTENT -
RAILWAY STATION
PLATFORM
MOUNTAIN OF PHOSPHOR-
GYPSUM- AIRBORNE -
RESPIRATORY DISEASES
1000 TONNES OF ARSENIC-
CONTAINING SLAG DUMPED
-FACTORY PREMISES
NO ADEQUATE FACILITIES
FOR WASTE MANAGEMENT
A toxic hotspot - Dangerous
levels of iron and arsenic - found
in the soil

17. EMITS SULPHUR DIOXIDE, ARSENIC
AND HEAVY METALS
SO2 GAS LEAK -SUFFOCATION AND
BURNING EYES
2013 – LEAK - AFFECTED THOUSANDS - LEADING
TO MASS PROTESTS AND THE TEMPORARY
CLOSURE OF THE PLANT.
SO2 - shot up from 20 ug/m³ to 62 ug/m³
(tolerable limit of 80 ug/m³ )
IMPACT ON AIR

18. HUGE AMOUNTS USED - WATER-
STRESSED AREA
TONNES OF Cu SLAG - DUMPED IN
ODAI RIVER - UPPER STREAM -
BLOCKED WITH TOXIC Cu SLAG
GROUND WATER POLLUTED BY
H2SO4 AND OTHER WASTE
HIGHER CD, CR, CU AND PB IN
SOME WELLS
CHRONIC EXPOSURE TO IRON IN
DRINKING WATER - CHRONIC
FATIGUE, JOINT & ABDOMINAL PAIN
IMPACT ON WATER

19. LEAKAGE OF SO2 - LEAVES – COLOUR CHANGE
& DRIED OFF
HEAVY METALS DISPOSAL SPOILS
CULTIVATABLE LANDS
HORSES, GOATS AND SHEEP - EXPOSED - TOXIC
CONCENTRATION OF COPPER AND LEAD IN
GRASS
IMPACT ON BIOSPHERE

20. BIOACCUMULATION - LEAD TO
POISONING
RAIN + SO2 - DAMAGE TO CROPS, TREES
AND BUILDINGS FOR MANY MILES
DOWN-WIND
DECREASED POPULATION OF
CATTLE, GOATS, COWS - EXPOSURE
TO AIR AND WATER POLLUTION

21. ACUTE TOXIC EFFECTS - MORTALITY OF
ORGANISMS
CHRONIC TOXICITY - REDUCTIONS IN SURVIVAL,
REPRODUCTION, AND GROWTH
HIGHER COPPER ARE TOXIC IN AQUATIC
ENVIRONMENTS
RESTRICTION - LOCATION OF INDUSTRIES TO PRESERVE
THE BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY - GULF OF MANNAR
ADVERSELY AFFECT FISH, INVERTEBRATES,
PLANTS, AND AMPHIBIANS
IMPACT ON MARINE ECOSYSTEM

23. SKIN PROBLEMS
RESPIRATORY ILLNESS
INCREASED CANCER RATES
INFERTILITY
LOCAL NGOS STUDY - NUMBER OF PERSONS
AFFECTED - BRONCHIAL DISEASES AND
CANCER - INCREASING EVERY YEAR
LONG TERM IMPACTS ARE
UNIMAGINABLE
EYE AND THROAT IRRITATION
BITTER TASTE IN MOUTH
OF CHILDREN
FAINTING
HEADACHE
LABOUR FORCE TO WORK AMIDST
POISONOUS GAS & NOXIOUS
EFFLUENTS
IMPACT ON HUMAN HEALTH

24. RAINFALL IS NOT PROPER AND ADEQUATE
ACCOUNTED FOR THE INCREASE IN TEMPERATURE AND
REDUCED RAINFALL IN THOOTHUKUDI REGION
SOME SORT OF CHEMICAL - SPRAYED TO
CLOUDS WHEN THEY ARE ABOVE TO SEND
THEIR DROPLET – TO DISPERSE THE CLOUDS
(TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO CHIMNEY)

25. SOCIO
ECONOMIC
IMPACTS
VIOLATIONS OF LAWS AND
REGULATION
INCREASE IN CORRUPTION
SINCE 20 YEARS STERLITE HAS
BEEN BLAMED FOR NUMEROUS
MISHAPS, DEATHS AND INJURIES
VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS

26. CONCLUSION
 Industrial disposals enter waterways - may persist - long periods & transported by water or
air over long distances.
 They disturbed the function of the endocrine system - in reproductive, developmental, and
behavioural problems.
 The GOs and NGOs should take effective steps to clean and green the streets, schools,
public safety, etc.
 Copper production = 4lakh tonnes/year » In ore only 30% copper is present and 30%Iron
then 30%sulphur remaining some Arsenic ,Silver,Gold in a very little amount. So compare
to production out of 100% they can produce only 30% copper metal and remainings are
slag(Ironsilicates) and toxic gases
 Therefore, an appropriate forum like scientists, academicians, policy makers and panchayat
raj institutions should take effective step to protect the environment in all aspects.

27. REFERENCES
Newspaper articles from “THE HINDU” and “TIMES OF INDIA”
A. Agrawal et al. / Resources, Conservation and Recycling 42 (2004) 99–120
Vishwanathan M. Integrated pollution control and waste management in copper base processing
industries.
Bandopadhyay A, Goswami N, Environmental waste management in non ferrous metallurgical
industries.
Premchand, Agrawal A, Gorai B, Pandey BD, Sahoo KL, Ghosh S. Characterisation and utilisation of
copper slag of sterlite Industries Ltd. Jamshedpur: NML; 2001 (Internal Report)
The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) official notifications and orders
Sustainable development report 2012-2013, Stertite Industries (India) Limited
The Anti-Sterlite Peoples Struggle Committee released a booklet titled 'Doctors Speak Out'

28. THANK YOU