Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) has received the SCOPE Meritorious Award for Environmental Excellence & Sustainable Development for 2009-10. CS Verma received the award and accompanying scroll of honour at a function held at Vigyan Bhawan. Verma also received the Certificate of Maharatna Status for SAIL. The company’s environmental efforts have resulted in reduced air emissions, decreased to 1.12kg per tonne of crude steel in FY ’11, a reduction of 55%. A specific effluent discharge level of 2.5 m3 per tonne of finished steel has been achieved which is a reduction of 16% and continued thrust on solid waste management has resulted in an improvement of more than 16%. SAIL has progressively introduced ISO:14001 certification to all of its steel units and mines. This has led to an improvement in waste management, water & energy conservation, noise reduction, control of stack and fugitive emissions, improved housekeeping and improved work zone environment. During FY ’11 alone, 0.18 million saplings were planted in and around SAIL plants and mines, with a total plantation of 17.67 million saplings to date.
