The Environmental Impact Assessment for the biorefinery project of UPM in Kotka is completed

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Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF.

In February 2018, UPM started the environmental impact assessment (EIA) for a new biorefinery in Finland (see post, 6/2/2018). The biorefinery would be located in Mussalo (Kotka) and produce approximately 500 ktons/year of advanced biofuels made from sustainable raw materials. The EIA has already been completed and submitted to the authorities (see press release, 04/10/2018). It is part of a year-long pre-study phase focused on the feasibility of the project. The final conclusions of the authorities for the EIA are expected in the beginning of next year.

According to the assessment, conducted by consultancy company Pöyry, the biorefinery would have substantial positive impacts such as increasing utilization of wastes as well as a decrease in GHG emissions. That decrease would be as much as 16% of the GHG emissions generated by Finnish road traffic and equivalent to three times the GHG emissions of a city the size of Helsinki.

Figure 1. The proposed site for the biorefinery is in the area of a dismantled power plant formerly run by the Pohjolan Voima energy company (extracted from the press release)

If the biorefinery goes ahead, the main environmental impacts will be caused by increased traffic and changes in the landscape. The facility would also have a very positive effect on the Kotka region's economic life and finances. The results of the assessment will be covered more thoroughly in a public event organized on 15 October at 17:30 in Cafe Neptunus in Kotka.

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