Sustainable bioeconomy originates in the forest
We ensure that our forest management, wood supply and all other forest-related activities are sustainable. The forests in which we operate grow more than they are used. We ensure we do not cause deforestation: on regeneration felling sites, we plant four seedlings for each tree we harvest. We invest in forest renewal and in safeguarding biodiversity, and comply with sustainable forest management practices in all our wood supply operations.
See also our Ecological sustainability progamme and Nature management programme
Wood from northern forests is one of the world’s most versatile raw materials
Different parts of the tree are used for different products. The log provides material for sawn timber, plywood and Kerto products, while log side streams, including branches and bark, are converted into other bioproducts such as pulp, paperboard, tissue papers and renewable energy.
The extractives from wood give us turpentine and tall oil, which are used to make valuable raw materials for the chemical industry and the food and feed industry. Metsä Group uses every part of the tree for the most suitable purpose.
Many wood-based products such as paperboard are recyclable. For example, the recycling rate of paper and paperboard packages exceeds 80 per cent in Europe. Wood fibre can be recycled multiple times, and recycled fibre is a valuable raw material. However, fibre cannot be recycled for ever, and it does not offer environmental benefits in every application, so the production and use of fresh fibre also play a key role. For example, one toilet paper roll made from fresh fibre requires 40 per cent less raw material than a roll made from recycled fibre. The use of fresh fibre can also save energy and water, because fresh fibre does not require as many processing stages as recycled fibre.