SWEDEN (News release) -- Nordic Paper has decided to approve environmental investments of up to SEK 450 million relating to water at the Bäckhammar pulp and paper mill in Sweden. The investments are prerequisites in a new production permit for increasing production volume above the level permitted today.

Today, the Bäckhammar mill sources most of its water requirement through a pipe from lake Vänern. The purified effluent water flows from the plant via the Visman stream back to the lake. The investments decided today include among other things an installation of a second pipe, about 12 km long, for the purified effluent water from the plant back to lake Vänern. After these investments, the Bäckhammar mill will disconnect from the Visman stream, supporting the return to the natural condition of the stream.

"With the investments approved today we create opportunities for the future. The Bäckhammar mill is already today an efficient mill with a well operating effluent treatment plant. With the investments decided today we will disconnect from the Visman stream and thereby support its return to natural conditions", says Anita Sjölander, CEO of Nordic Paper.

The new production permit is allowing the Bäckhammar mill to increase production volume over time by about 20% for pulp, which can be used to spur the paper production in both segments, and 10% for kraft paper from the levels permitted today. The pipe for purified effluent water is a condition stipulated in the new permit.

The investments will be carried out 2025-2027.

At Bäckhammar, Nordic Paper manufactures unbleached kraft papers of different qualities primarily for packaging end-uses. The raw material is pulpwood from sustainably managed forests in mid-Sweden as well as sawmill chips. Products made from paper from Bäckhammar include for example sacks for flour, carrier bags and bread pouches. The main market is in Europe but the papers are shipped all over the world.