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Conformity with the strictest environmental requirements

As an industrial enterprise, we always base our activities on nature-friendly principles – we use resources prudently, do more for the environment than required by laws and regulations, and minimise the environmental footprint throughout the entire chain. The future bioproducts production complex will not be an exception.

 

As the developer of the future complex, we place great importance on a constant and open dialogue with the local community and their maximum possible engagement in discussions and feedback provision.

The prerequisites to establishing the complex and obtaining the activity licences include the design of the technology and the construction and operation of the complex in accordance with the environmental requirements applicable in Estonia and the European Union, the Best Available Techniques (BAT) and the needs of the Estonian economy and society. In addition to the BAT requirements, the improved technologies of recent new factories will also be taken into account, in order to ensure the establishment of the most modern solution from the aspects of both technology and the environment.

The complex requires an integrated environmental permit which grants the right to use the complex or a part thereof in a manner that ensures that the impact of its operation on the environment, human health and wellbeing, property and cultural heritage is as small as possible. The requirements established by an integrated permit must ensure the protection of water, air and soil and the handling of waste generated in the complex in a manner that prevents the transfer of contamination from one environmental element such as water, air or soil to another.

The production complex will comply with the strictest EU environmental requirements with regard to air and water purification and use.

In regular operation, the complex will generate no odour or noise nuisance. The ambient air emissions and limit values will be strictly regulated by the BAT and the integrated permit and constant monitoring by the enterprise will allow creating transparency and, if necessary, operatively responding by optimising production modes.

Biofactorys mostly require large-scale water consumption. We are planning to use water pumped from the Ojamaa Mine for this development project. The annual water consumption of the future complex will be 12.5 million cubic metres. A water treatment factory for the purification of used water would be established as a part of the complex and purified water would then be discharged to the Gulf of Finland via a collector. The quality of the purified water will correspond to the BAT level and will not differ from the natural background.

Extensive studies for finding the best solutions

 

In the framework of the special plan, the local government will commission a strategic assessment of environmental impact with regard to both the potential locations and the overall impact of the production facility to be constructed.

Preliminary studies that will be conducted in the framework of preparing the plan:

 

  1. Technical water discharge solutions and their impact on the condition of the receiving body of water (sea, river);
  2. The impact of the establishment of the complex on forest management and thereby on biological diversity; an assessment of the impact on the wood chips market (including the ecological condition);
  3. Raw material and product transport models.

 

The preliminary studies conducted for the bioproducts production complex:

  1. Analysis of the quality of the mining water of the Ojamaa Mine, conducted by Project Performance Limited;
  2. The impact of the water pumped out of the Ojamaa Mine on the natural water systems of the region, conducted by the Geological Survey of Estonia;
  3. Layout of the production complex, conducted by AFRY;
  4. Preliminary feasibility study, conducted by AFRY;
  5. Preliminary analysis of possible locations, conducted by Hendrikson&Ko;
  6. Preliminary study of environmental impact, conducted by Hendrikson&Ko.