UPM supports the Baltic Sea Action Group’s operations to prevent eutrophication

UPM continues its long-standing co-operation with the Baltic Sea Action Group (BSAG) to prevent eutrophication in the Baltic Sea and in Finnish waters. This work is part of UPM’s Baltic Sea Commitment.

“Preventing eutrophication requires collaboration between various parties. We are able to utilise nutritious sidestreams from other operators at our biological treatment plants. This way, we can replace nutrients essential to industrial treatment plants and reduce the amount of nutrients ending up into waters at a local level”, explains Eerik Ojala, Director, Responsibility, Production support.

UPM made their third Commitment to BSAG in 2016, and set a responsibility target to use only recycled nutrients at its wastewater treatment plants by 2030. “So far, our work has progressed well: in 2018, already 22 per cent of all nutrients used by us were recycled. In other words, we are utilising nutritious sidestreams from other local operators in our operations”, Eerik Ojala clarifies.

“The most severe problems threatening the Baltic Sea are eutrophication and reduction in biodiversity. UPM has the challenge of finding suitable resources of recycled nutrients for its operations, and finding solutions for recycling nutrients originating from its own operations. This is a challenge that we can take together”, says Johan Schmidt, the Managing Director of the Baltic Sea Action Group.

“We bring together scientists, industrial operators and decision-makers, and, thus, enable a model of supply, demand and legislation that can be used to promote the wellbeing of the Baltic Sea as efficiently as possible”, Johan Schmidt summarises.

Promoting the recycled nutrients target is already the third joint project between UPM and the BSAG. The project is part of UPM’s Biofore Share and Care programme, which promotes operations and projects that are relevant to UPM’s business and support innovation and sustainability values or promote local vitality and wellbeing. Responsible water use is one of the programme’s focus areas.