Tata Steel and Odisha Unite for Sustainable Agriculture

Tata Steel and the Odisha government are launching a sustainable agricultural initiative to reclaim acidic soils using industrial waste. The initiative, supported by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, is part of the state's 'Waste to Wealth' program and aims to promote a circular economy.

Tata Steel and the Odisha government have embarked on a pioneering sustainable agricultural initiative aimed at reclaiming acidic soils in the state, according to officials.

The collaboration seeks to repurpose industrial waste, such as basic oxygen furnace (LD) slag and fly ash, to treat acidic soils in Odisha. The first batch of LD slag was dispatched from Tata Steel Meramandali (TSM) plant in Dhenkanal district on June 18.

Labeled 'Economic and Environment-Friendly Utilisation of Basic Slag and Fly Ash as Soil Amendments to Reclaim Acid Soils of Odisha (SAFAR),' the project is being championed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-National Rice Research Institute (ICAR-NRRI) in Cuttack. As part of Odisha's 'Waste to Wealth' program, the initiative promotes a circular economy by utilizing industrial by-products in agriculture.

'We are thrilled to collaborate with the Government of Odisha and ICAR-NRRI on this vital project,' stated Rajiv Mangal, Vice President, Safety, Health, and Sustainability, Tata Steel. 'By leveraging our industrial by-products, we can assist in the recovery of acidic soils and support sustainable farming practices.'

According to Ramesh Kumar Ekka, Senior Environmental Engineer and Regional Officer of the State Pollution Control Board, Angul, using bulk-generated industrial waste like fly ash and LD slag has become a significant challenge for the iron and steel sectors. However, Tata Steel's initiative, in partnership with the Odisha government and ICAR-NRRI, aims to address this issue by reclaiming acid soil using industrial waste in districts such as Dhenkanal, Angul, and Jajpur.

Tata Steel will supply the necessary amounts of LD slag and fly ash from its integrated iron and steel plants for soil treatment in the targeted districts. The soil amendments will be rolled out in two phases—before the Kharif (monsoon) crop season and before the Rabi (winter) crop season—ensuring availability during critical planting periods.

The project has also secured approval from the State Pollution Control Board, Odisha, adhering to the Fly Ash Notification and guidelines from the Central Pollution Control Board on Pyro-Metallurgical Slag management.

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