Environmental permit granted for Metsä Group's planned bioproduct mill in Äänekoski
The Regional State Administrative Agency for Western and Inland Finland has granted an environmental and water-intake permit for Metsä Group's planned bioproduct mill in Äänekoski.
An environmental permit has been granted for Metsä Fibre Oy's bioproduct mill, a bark-drying and bark-gasification plant, a digestion plant, wastewater generated in the integrated mills, joint treatment of municipal wastewater from the town of Äänekoski, and Metsä Board Corporation’s wastewater treatment plant. The permit also allows wastewater from the town of Äänekoski to be treated in the bioproduct mill's wastewater treatment plant.
The decision was made in accordance with the reformed Environmental Protection Act, which came into force in autumn 2014, and the best available techniques (BAT) approved by the European Commission. The bioproduct mill's environmental and water-intake permits also contain permission to proceed, which means that operations may be launched regardless of any possible applications for alterations.
“The environmental permit is an important step in our preparations for making a decision on whether to invest in construction of the mill,” says Ilkka Hämälä, CEO of Metsä Fibre.
You can read the decisions on the Regional State Administrative Agency's webpage at http://www.avi.fi/web/avi/ymparisto-lupa-tietopalvelu
METSÄ GROUP
Group Communications
For more information, contact:
Timo Merikallio, Project Director, Metsä Fibre, tel. +358 (0)50 5989 342
www.metsagroup.com
Metsä Group is a responsible forest industry group whose products’ main raw material is renewable and sustainably grown Nordic wood. Metsä Group focuses on tissue and cooking papers, consumer packaging paperboard, pulp, wood products, and wood supply and forest services. Its high-quality products combine renewable raw materials, customer-orientation, sustainable development and innovation. Metsä Group’s sales totalled EUR 4.9 billion in 2013, and it employs approximately 11,000 people. The Group operates in some 30 countries. Metsäliitto Cooperative is the parent company of Metsä Group and is owned by approximately 123,000 Finnish forest owners.
www.biotuotetehdas.fi
When materialised, the approximately EUR 1.1 billion bioproduct mill planned by Metsä Fibre would be the largest ever investment in the forest industry in Finland. The mill would have an annual pulp production capacity of 1.3 million tonnes. It would be built in the existing mill area in Äänekoski, and would replace the mill currently operating in the area. If the investment requirements are met, the decision on construction of the bioproduct mill will be made in spring 2015, meaning that production would begin in 2017.