The emissions load caused by forest industry operations and its effects on watercourses is relatively low. Among other factors, the improvement in water quality is indicated by the return of fish stocks downstream of mill locations. It would be possible to further reduce the environmental load of pulp and paper industry on watercourses in Finland to a certain degree. However, the input would hardly lead to a demonstrable improvement in the quality of water.

Growth in production, reduction in emissions

Over the last five decades, the production of paper and paperboard has more than trebled, whilst the production of pulp has doubled. In the same period, the environmental load on watercourses caused by the operations of the pulp and paper industries has dropped to a fraction of what it was: for example, solid-waste emissions have decreased by 97%. The emissions of nutrients that cause eutrophication in watercourses have been reduced to under a third of the levels prevailing at the end of the 1980s.

The forest industry uses water efficiently

Water is an essential raw material in the paper making process. In the past decades the forest industry has improved its water effciciency and, as the result, the water use has declined significantly. For example, in the 1970s, 250 cubic metres of water were used to produce one tonne of pulp, whilst today only 20 – 50 cubic metres are needed to produce the same amount.

To produce one tonne of newsprint, the amount of water needed has decreased from 100-150 to 7-15 cubic metres. When less water is used also less energy is needed which brings many benefits. The forest industry has set targets to further reduce the amount of water used in the paper making process. The new targets will be met for example by improving the recycling of water in the mill processes.

The forest industry spends about  150 € million annually on environmental protection

Minimising the effects of production on the environment often entails performing a balancing act between the various branches involved. Reducing emissions into watercourses often results in an increase in both emissions into the air and the amount of solid-waste produced, as material cannot simply be eliminated: only the form it takes can be changed.

The forest industry aims to establish production methods that operate without breakdowns; this would also help minimise negative effects to the environment. From an environmental perspective, foreseeing and managing breakdowns in production is much better than investing in additional equipment for cleaning.

The forest industry is active in the environment management

Common instruments for the management of environmental issues include the international environmental management system standards, such as the ISO 14001 and EMAS systems. Environmental management systems are in place at all pulp and paper mills and, for the major part, at the production facilities of the sawmilling and panel industries.