Dozens of people living close to the Tata Steel plant in IJmuiden are taking legal action against the company for deliberately damaging their health, the NoordHollands Dagblad reported on Friday.

High profile lawyer Bénédicte Ficq is representing the local residents and a number of foundations in the case, and says that the factory has been dumping dangerous chemicals into the ‘air and soil of a densely populated area’.

She hopes to file the formal complaint with the public prosecution department in the coming weeks.

The justice ministry is also currently looking into taking legal action against Tata Steel for breaking the terms of its environmental permits.

Meanwhile, public health institute RIVM is carrying out research into local pollution caused by the plant and expects to publish the results next year.

Earlier this week, Swedish steel group SSAB said it had pulled out of talks to take over the IJmuiden factory, saying it could not be made to operate to its sustainability standards.