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Arctic Paper's efforts to reduce its environmental impact.

For many years we have heard about the ozone hole over Antarctica, the greenhouse effect and other possible effects of man’s activities on our planet. For a long time these alarms had little effect outside the world of biologists and other specialists. But today, with an increasing number of indications, the environment and climate issues have finally reached a whole new level of attention among entire populations. The time has come to take what Mother Earth tells us seriously.

 Having started in the 1960s, Arctic Paper’s contribution to reducing the impact of paper production on nature has contributed to its good reputation. Today, it offers a wide range of environmentally friendly paper, with many FSC certified, and the company’s dedicated research continues to develop ways of supporting the surrounding nature. This is the story of Arctic Paper’s  way to environmental consciousness.

IN 1871 THERE WERE NO WORRIES

At a site where monks once fished for salmon, where the Örekil River joins the Gullmar Fjord, the enterprise today known as Arctic Paper Munkedals AB was founded in 1871. The Örekil River and the Gullmar Fjord run through one of the most beautiful natural areas on the west coast of Sweden, a landscape that gradually changed into a rural terrain.
For many decades, no one worried about the paper production effect on this natural resource with its rich animal life. But eventually, the water became less clear and the fish became scarcer. A similar development could be observed in the lake system where Håfreströms, another Arctic Paper mill, was situated at Åsensbruk in Dalsland.

A LONG TERM COMMITMENT

In the 1960s, it became obvious that the emissions from paper production were a threat to the environment. This strong warning was the beginning of a long term commitment. The mills of Arctic Paper were among the first to take measures to prevent the impact of paper production on nature. In 1966 it stopped producing pulp at Munkedal for this reason. Throughout the years, as new insights grew, knowledge and experience went into developing processes to reduce unwanted environmental effects.

In the course of time, Arctic Paper found ways of reducing its use of water and energy. In the 1980s it introduced biochemical processes to clean the process water. In the 1990s, it was the first to launch chlorine free coated paper.

In the same era, the Arctic Paper Group acquired the Kostrzyn mill, close to the Warta and Oder rivers in Poland. Since then, the Kostrzyn mill’s environmental work has been developed on several levels and now has a leading position in Poland. Recently, the new heat and power plant, fuelled by gas, was opened to replace the old coal based plant.

REDUCING AIR EMISSIONS AND PURIFYING WATER

The Håfreström mill also engaged early in developing methods for reducing energy consumption, emissions to air and for purifying the process water. In Håfreström a three step biochemical process was introduced for treating wastewater. The purified wastewater is discharged into Lake Nedre Upperudshöljen where a continuous water recipient analysis is conducted of water samples taken from 25 fixed testing stations in the lake system. Many of the Group’s efforts have gone into dealing with cleaning and re-using its processed water, and to ensure that the water put back into nature is fully restored.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL CENTRE IN MUNKEDAL

This process can be studied, for example, at Arctic Paper’s Environmental Centre in Munkedal. The exhibition hall is next to the large ponds that are at the final stage of purification. Here they receive customers, school classes and others who want to learn more about environmental care.

The Munkedal mill is now one of the most environmentally friendly paper mills in the world. In addition to low water consumption, the mill has some of the lowest discharge figures in the industry. Where other fine paper mills use 16 litres of water to make one kilo of paper, the Munkedal mill now uses less than three litres. Year by year, emissions into the fjord have been reduced and the  water now carries hardly any particles.

As a result of all the measures taken, many qualities of the fjord have regained their previous status. Again the Gullmar Fjord is a place where salmon and seagulls enjoy freedom, clean water and fresh air.

THE ROLE OF FSC CERTIFICATION

Forest certification has the aim of ensuring that the forests are managed in a sustainable way. In Europe and North America this is additional to existing legal frameworks and places further requirements on the industry. One of the most important certification schemes is Forest Stewardship Council, (FSC). FSC is an independent organisation founded in Toronto in 1993 on the initiative of environmental organisations from 25 countries.

Among certifying institutions, FSC has the strictest criteria for ecological forest treatment and the monitoring of these criteria is performed directly in the forests. The FSC approach is global; it also takes responsibility in the developing countries. As the only organisation having social criteria, it recognises that ecological problems also arise due to human problems. Therefore FSC is accepted by environmental organisations all over the world.

A whole range of FSC certified papers

The number of certified products has increased since 2003 when Arctic Paper’s first Munken paper quality was certified. Since then, the company has worked further to FSC certify both coated and uncoated papers and offers its customers a complete range of FSC certified products. Today, the whole Munken range from Munkedal is FSC certified as well as part of the Arctic range from Håfreströms. The Kostrzyn mill is using 40 per cent FSC pulp and 60 per cent PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes) certified pulp for its production of Amber.

Organisation

Arctic Paper specialises in producing high quality, graphic fine paper and is one of Europe’s leading companies in this field. The company, whose head office is in Gothenburg, Sweden, has factories in Sweden and Poland and sales companies throughout Europe. Arctic Paper’s products are marketed under the Amber, Arctic and Munken brand names and are used within the printing industry, including book production, printed matter and advertising products, office materials and other specialist areas. The Group has a turnover of about 3.3 billion Swedish kronor and has approximately 1,400 employees.

Enquiries

Arctic Paper AB
Box  383, 401 26 Göteborg
Sweden
Tel: +46 770 110 120
E-mail: