CORRIGENDUM, 27 February 2026 – In the initial report published on 26 February 2026, the following sentence on page six of the introduction stated that, ‘India currently has a capacity of almost 200 million tonnes of steel per year (MTPA) and plans to double this by 2030’. This sentence should read, ‘India currently has a capacity of almost 200 million tonnes of steel per year (MTPA) and plans to add another 100 MT by 2030’. This sentence has been updated in the report. We apologise for any inconvenience.
This report assesses how poorly regulated stack emissions from the Bokaro steel plant of the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) have affected air quality, public health, and India’s economy during the facility’s operations in the financial year 2023. The plant’s technology configuration is representative of most integrated steel plants in India, therefore offering broader relevance for the overall sector.
Key findings
- Air pollutant emissions from the Bokaro steel plant severely affect child health, leading to an estimated 273 (84–475) low birthweight births and 284 (137-301) preterm births each year. The emissions also severely compromise the respiratory health of children, our estimates suggesting 25 (5–59) new cases of asthma in children for each year of operation of the plant.
- In adults, the emissions from the plant — which uses highly polluting reactor fuels including coal and coke and lacks adequate air pollution control measures in several of its stacks — are linked to an estimated 168 (112-246) deaths due to exposure to PM2.5 and NO2 as well as 290 (173-406) asthma-related emergency room visits each year.
- Air pollution from the Bokaro steel plant can be linked to 123,000 (104,000-141,000) days of work absences due to air pollution-related health issues. These absences represent lost productivity, disrupted workflows, and reduced economic output across multiple sectors.
- The annual total cost due to health impacts from air pollution caused by the Bokaro steel plant is estimated at USD 79 (50-116) million, or INR 6.4 (4.0-9.5) billion, in 2023.
- There are no national standards for SO2 emissions from facilities like sinter plant, mill zone and refractory material plant in India, despite them being recognised as sources of SO2 emissions.
Annual mean PM2.5 concentration from Bokaro steel plant
