Finland. UPM-Kymmene Oyj

The 7-year-maturity loan totalling EUR 30 million has been provided for investments in a new chemical recovery plant at a pulp and paper mill in Kymi, Finland. The plant was set in operation in summer 2008. The new plant has replaced two outdated chemical recovery lines.

As a result of the investment, the Kymi mill will increase its pulp production capacity to 600,000 tonnes per year. The mill will improve its energy efficiency, as well as decrease carbon-dioxide emissions, odour and other emissions to air. The new process solutions also decrease the risk of incidental emissions. The new plant will facilitate an increase in the use of biofuels and double the mill’s bio-electricity production capacity.

UPM is one of the world’s leading forest industry groups, running production facilities in 14 countries and employing some 23,000 people worldwide.

The main environmental issues of the project are emissions to the air and compliance with the best available technique (BAT) requirements. Emissions of SO2 are well below the permitted limit values. Emissions to the water from the recovery plant are relatively marginal compared to the other operations performed at the Kymi pulp and paper mill. All water used in the production process is treated at the plant’s water treatment facilities.