Hazira-Surat (Gujarat) [India], December 09: ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India), in collaboration with the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB), marked World Soil Day on Thursday with an awareness event focused on sustainable practices and the pressing issue of plastic pollution.

The event, organised at the Utsav Hall, AMNS Township in Hazira, featured an engaging workshop and theatrical play centred on the theme “Ati Sarvatra Varjayet”, meaning “Excess of Anything is Bad.”

The act, a brainchild of Dr. Jignasa Oza, Regional Officer, GPCB emphasised the harmful effects of single-use plastics and their detrimental impact on soil health and the environment.

In her address, Dr. Oza highlighted the urgency of addressing plastic pollution and the importance of sustainable solutions and community engagement.

“Plastic pollution is one of the most pressing environmental challenges we face today. Plastic pollution also takes a heavy toll on soil health. World Soil Day is a powerful reminder about the need to reduce reliance on single-use plastics and embrace sustainable practices to safeguard soil, water and the earth for future generations. Even small measures like shifting from plastic bags to cloth bags or bags made of other biodegradable materials when shopping can go a long way in reducing plastic usage,” she said.

AM/NS India is committed to promoting sustainable development and reducing its environmental footprint. Sustainable development and environmental stewardship are fundamental to its business operations, and it has undertaken several initiatives for the same with outstanding results. The World Soil Day event showcases its shared responsibility to protect the soil and environment for future generations and its efforts to raise awareness and inspire collective action.

The initiative also underscored the significance of soil health in combating climate change and protecting biodiversity and urged citizens to embrace eco-friendly solutions. The effort drew attention to the long-lasting effects of plastic on the environment, including contamination of air, soil and water by micro-plastics.

About Arcelormittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India):
ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India) is a joint venture between ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel, two of the world’s leading steel manufacturing organisations. A leading integrated flat carbon steel producer in India, the company has a crude steel capacity of 9 million tonnes per annum with state-of-the-art downstream facilities. It produces a fully diversified range of flat steel products, including value-added steel, and has a pellet capacity of 20 million tonnes.