KAJAANI, Finland, Dec. 19, 2017 (Press Release) -KaiCell Fibers Ltd submitted the required Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) programme to the regional authorities on 18.12.2017. The Pöyry conducted process covers three alternative product scenarios as well as the baseline case of no investment. The programme will be presented at a public event in Paltamo to be scheduled during January 2018.
Environmental Impact Assessment
The EIA is a legal requirement and an important element in planning large industrial projects. The objective is to estimate the planned entity’s impact before decisions regarding permits have been made. EIA is the responsibility of the company looking to build a new industrial entity, but the process follows guidelines set by the authorities. Information distribution and reaching out to stakeholders are central parts of the EIA process.
EIA content
The EIA programme describes the intended site and its surrounding areas as they are at the moment, defines which impact parameters are to be studied and sets the methods for assessing them. Areas subject to assessment include the impact on water air, traffic and nature, along with noise and vibration effects. Special attention is given to possible impact on human health, living conditions and wellbeing.
The analytical part of the EIA will take place once feedback has been received from the authorities and relevant stakeholders. Based on this feedback an EIA schedule will be drawn up during March 2018
Alternative scenarios
Each scenario under consideration will be covered by the EIA, allowing selection of the final alternative as basis for the permits process by summer 2018.
KaiCell Fibers’ CEO Jukka Kantola: “Being able to submit the EIA programme is a significant milestone for the venture. All parties have displayed exemplary cooperativeness, and we have received a great many constructive comments regarding what we are trying to accomplish in Paltamo. I would like to thank all stakeholders, the Kainuu authorities and all our cooperation partners. We can now look forward to celebrating Finland’s 100th Christmas as an independent nation while we recharge out batteries for next year.”
KAICELL FIBERS – A NOVEL BIOREFINERY FOR PALTAMO, FINLAND
KaiCell Fibers Ltd is looking to build a new generation biorefinery in the forest rich Kainuu region of northeast Finland, in the municipality of Paltamo.
The venture represents a total investment of about 900 million euro, and would bring direct and indirect benefits to the regions economy of over 200 million euro per annum. Employment effects would include 220 direct and over 1000 indirect jobs.
The Paltamo biorefinery will convert Kainuu’s currently underused fibre wood resources to valuable bio-products. To reach even higher efficiencies and maximise raw material yield, the biorefinery is being teamed with BioFutureFactory, an innovation ecosystem for developing and producing advanced bio-products from the main operation’s side streams.
The plans call for a final investment decision during 2019, which would enable production start-up during 2021.