The strong interaction of the steel industry and the environment is related to the large volumes of matter that are handled by the Steel Industry. The steel plant is a huge logistical hub, where iron is not the major stream in terms of mass. Water, carbon dioxide (CO2) and steam put together outweighs steel by almost a factor of 10 in the output streams of a typical integrated steel plant.
Links:
[1] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/feature-article/environmental-concerns-steel-industry
[2] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/author/k-k-khanna
[3] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/journal/green-business
[4] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/water-pollution
[5] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/air-pollution
[6] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/lead-industry
[7] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/biological-oxygen-demand-bod
[8] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/chemical-oxygen-demand-cod
[9] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/industrial-waste-treatment
[10] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/carbon-dioxide
[11] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/hazardous-waste
[12] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/iron-and-steel-industry-0
[13] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/japan
[14] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/united-states-america-us