The environmental impact of the forest industry has decreased significantly in recent decades. Fossil carbon dioxide emissions from Finland’s pulp and paper industry have fallen by approximately 85 per cent since 1990, while the amount of waste sent to landfill has declined by around 97 per cent since 1992. Other emissions to air and water have also decreased as a result of sustained environmental work.
Discussions about the forest industry’s environmental performance often focus on a single year or one emissions indicator. However, progress is most clearly demonstrated by long-term data. These data show the extent to which the environmental efficiency and operations of Finland’s pulp and paper industry have changed over recent decades.
Investment and daily work underpin the results
Environmental improvements do not happen on their own. In 2025, the pulp and paper industry spent approximately EUR 224 million on environmental protection. Of this amount, around EUR 102 million was allocated to investment and EUR 122 million to operating costs. Over the past five years, the industry’s expenditure on environmental protection has exceeded EUR 1.2 billion.
In addition to environmental investment, progress requires expertise, maintenance, measurement, and the continuous development of processes. Crucially, environmental work is an integral part of the industry’s day-to-day operations rather than a separate activity.
The reduction in air emissions can be seen and experienced
Air emissions from the pulp and paper industry have decreased significantly since 1992. Particulate emissions relative to production have fallen by approximately 90 per cent, while emissions of malodorous sulphur compounds have declined by 97 per cent. Sulphur emissions have also decreased to a fraction of their 1992 level.
The effects are not confined to statistics. The change can also be observed in the communities where mills operate. Odorous emissions, which were previously typical of pulp mills, have decreased significantly. At the same time, investment in air pollution control technology has reduced particulate emissions.
Fossil carbon dioxide emissions have also fallen markedly. In 1990, they totalled 5.88 million tonnes, compared with approximately 0.90 million tonnes in 2025. Both total fossil carbon dioxide emissions and emissions relative to production have decreased by around 85 per cent since 1990. This progress has been driven by factors including improved energy efficiency and the replacement of fossil fuels with bioenergy.
However, not all challenges have been resolved. Reducing nitrogen oxide emissions has proved more difficult than reducing other air emissions. Nitrogen oxide emissions relative to production have fallen by approximately 31 per cent since 1992. This demonstrates that continuous improvement also requires the development of new, cost-effective solutions.
Less waste sent to landfill and greater utilisation of production side streams
The overall utilisation rate of production side streams rose to 96 per cent when wood waste is excluded. In practice, most production side streams are put to beneficial use rather than being disposed of.
The amount of waste sent to landfill also fell sharply. In 2025, the pulp and paper industry generated approximately 29,400 tonnes of landfill waste, which was 29.4 per cent less than in the previous year. In 1992, the corresponding figure was approximately 937,000 tonnes. Over the long term, the total amount of waste sent to landfill has therefore decreased by around 97 per cent.
This development provides tangible evidence of progress towards a circular economy. The industry’s side streams are increasingly regarded as raw materials for which new uses are sought. At the same time, the amount of material sent to landfill is decreasing.
Progress in water protection is evident across several indicators
The forest industry has a particularly long history of systematic water protection. Emissions of adsorbable organic halides, or AOX, relative to production have decreased by more than 90 per cent since 1991. Phosphorus emissions have fallen by approximately 84 per cent, while the chemical oxygen demand, or COD, load has decreased by around 72 per cent since 1992. Wastewater volumes and nitrogen emissions relative to production have also fallen by more than half.
The results demonstrate what can be achieved through technological development, more efficient processes, and effective wastewater treatment. They also show why environmental performance must be considered as a whole. No single indicator tells the full story, but consistent reductions across several types of emissions provide a strong overall picture of the progress made.
The figures for 2025 give good reason to recognise the progress achieved. At the same time, their message is clear: the work is not complete. Innovative solutions are needed, particularly for emissions that are the most difficult to reduce, for the more efficient use of materials and for improving resource efficiency in production.
The forest industry aims to continue reducing its environmental impact through effective and cost-efficient measures. The progress made over several decades demonstrates that sustained efforts can deliver highly significant results.
