Multinational steel company hit with severe penalties for dangerous conduct: 'We didn't initially expect it to be so huge'

ArcelorMittal, a Luxembourg-based multinational steel company, was indicted in connection with industrial pollution by prosecutors in Marseille, France. Now, ArcelorMittal faces judicial supervision with a hefty price tag for enforcement, per the Luxembourg Times. 

What's happening?

ArcelorMittal was accused of endangering others, forgery, and causing environmental damage in the Fos-sur-Mer region of France. 

ArcelorMittal was sued in 2018 by the environmental nonprofit Association for the Defense and Protection of the Gulf of Fos Coastline (ADPLGF), around 250 local residents, organizations, and unions. The group accused the steelmaker of exposing people to "illegal discharges" of pollution, according to the Luxembourg Times.

"Arcelor hid information and falsified documents. In addition to CO2, their emissions contained benzene, fine particles, lead and cadmium - all classified as carcinogens and mutagens - as well as toxic agents such as nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide," ADPLGF president Daniel Moutet told the Luxembourg Times.

The steelmaker is now under court supervision, subject to a 250,000 euro deposit and 1.75 million euro bank guarantee.

The company "firmly contests the accusations" but will cooperate with authorities, according to Reuters.

ArcelorMittal further told Reuters that it did "everything possible to ensure that emissions from the Fos-sur-Mer site comply with the prescribed annual limit values." 

"There has been no falsification of data," ArcelorMittal said. 

Why is corporate pollution important?

Pollution from big companies can create major health risks to the locals who work and live near their operations. 

ADPLGF president Daniel Moutet claimed that there are "three times as many" cases of cancer in the Fos-sur-Mer region compared to elsewhere. He told the Luxembourg Times that he lost "a lot of friends to cancer over the years."

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It's important that companies are held accountable for polluting the air with toxic chemicals, which not only lowers the quality of life for nearby residents but also contributes to the amount of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere. 

What's being done about corporate pollution?

Companies across the world are facing consequences for failing to meet their environmental goals to reduce pollution. 

The complainants in the case against ArcelorMittal were happy with the Marseille prosecutors' indictment of the steelmaker. 

"We didn't initially expect it to be so huge. I'm satisfied that the courts have done their job and got to the bottom of it," said Moutet to the Luxembourg Times. 

Since 2014, ArcelorMittal claims to have "invested more than 735 million euros, notably to modernize its facilities or innovate to reduce emission levels, whose regulatory thresholds are increasingly stringent." However, the courts have apparently decided it's not doing enough.

Therefore, it's important to educate yourself on corporate greenwashing so that you don't give your hard-earned cash to companies with deceptive sustainability practices.

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