The Hindu Business Line : Proposed titanium–dioxide plant

With several new tools at their disposal to assess the present and future environmental impact of any major industrial project, it should be possible for all the stakeholders in the Tata group’s proposed titanium dioxide project to fast-track the right decision on the issue.

P. Nagarajan

In most developing countries, including India, it is becoming increasingly clear that without the development of new environmental policies that integrate the economy and environment, it will not be possible to move along a sustainable development path.

This basic premise lies at the heart of a seminal decision to be made by the Tamil Nadu government on the fate of the Tata group’s proposed mega-project for a titanium dioxide plant to be situated at Sathankulam in Tuticorin district, with the mining area of the proposed project spread across 16,000 acres spanning the Tuticorin and Tirunelveli districts. It is unfortunate that potential industrial policy discussion on this issue has generated more heat than light. Given the increasingly confusing situation, a well-informed, forward-looking industrial policy at present seems out of reach.

Chemical industries account for approximately 17 per cent of India’s industrial production, and 16 per cent of the exports of manufactured goods. In addition, they contribute to some 20 per cent of the gross revenues by way of excise and Customs duties. It is well-recognised in the scientific and industrial community that the titanium dioxide industry will emerge as one of the leading sectors of the 21st century.

There are some fundamental procedures to be followed in accepting or rejecting Tata’s proposed mega-project, with an initial investment of Rs 2,500 crore, projected capacity to mine 500,000 tonnes of ilmenite and produce 100,000 tonnes of titanium dioxide a year.

Currently, India imports about 70,000 tonnes of titanium dioxide every year. Within the framework of industrial policy objectives, the decision should be based on rigorous scientific information. Any group making the ‘loudest noise’ for or against the proposal should not be allowed to render a verdict on such an important matter.

Titanium was discovered in 1790 but not purified until early 1910. In fact, it is the ninth most abundant element dispersed throughout the Earth’s crust. A German chemist, M. H. Klaproth, named the element Titanium after the Titans, the Greek mythological giants, the first sons of the Earth, symbolising strength.

Multi-faceted compound

Titanium is hailed as a miracle metal, and it is found in many minerals. However, ilmenite provides 90 per cent of the titanium used every year. Surprisingly, only 5 per cent of titanium mined today is used in its pure metal form, and the reminder is used in the form of titanium dioxide.

Titanium dioxide is a multifaceted, pricey compound. It is one of the top 50 chemicals produced worldwide in large quantities, for use in a wide range of applications. It is the most preferred white pigment in the coatings and plastic industry. It is non-toxic and biologically inert, so is used for colouring in foodstuffs like flour, icing-sugar, sweets, cosmetics and toothpaste.

It is an established industry in developed and developing countries. Surprisingly, it has been more than 50 years since China began the production of titanium dioxide pigments used for enamel and electrodes.

There are numerous plants in China, including big multinational companies, producing titanium dioxide. That country ranks second in the world, while the US ranks first, in the consumption of titanium dioxide. Demand for this unique compound is increasing faster in the developing countries, particularly in India and China. The proposed mega-project of the Tata group is, therefore, not a new industrial activity with potentially unknown environmental risks. In the past two decades, numerous tools have been developed to assess the present and future environmental impact of any major industrial project.

For example, the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology provides frameworks for decision-makers, political bodies and other stakeholders to make the right choices that would ensure a safe and sustainable environment in the long run. It has a cradle-to-grave perspective. Step-by-step analysis, from extraction of raw materials (cradle) to the final waste disposal (grave), would help the decision-makers and stakeholders to decide where, and what, to change in order to reduce the environmental impacts.

Assessing risks

A LCA of the proposed project, compensation system for acquiring the lands, and methods of taking care of the people who would be displaced, among other things, should be considered by an impartial commission. A fast-track route is absolutely essential in making decisions on such an important issue. Politics should not muddy the waters. Perhaps, the time is ripe for revisiting our environmental policies and laws to protect ecosystems.

(The author is Emeritus Professor of Economics and Research Associate at the Institute of Island Studies, University of Prince Edward Island, Canada. Mail: nagarajan@upei.ca)

Related Stories:
We may look at alternative locations for titanium project: Tata Steel
TN wants public approval before clearing Tata project
Tata Steel revives titanium dioxide plant in TN
TN chamber for Tatas’ titanium dioxide project

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