heinzel pulp - Heinzel Group

ENVIRONMENT-RELEVANT SAFEGUARDS
Paper and pulp from Pöls are a part of the natural cycle we want to keep in balance with the environment. In all of our considerations with
regard to the development of our production location, our approach has been holistic and directed toward sustainability. After completing a
complex and costly environmental impact assessment, we have now received all the required approvals from the regulatory agencies for our
development concept. In the course of the environmental impact assessment process, all environmental aspects were looked at and the relevance
of the expansion project to these aspects was ascertained and evaluated by independent experts. One of the reasons that the permit
from the regulatory agency was granted and formally and legally established in the first instance were the positive evaluations by neighboring
owners. The long-term validity of this permit based on the environmental impact assessment is the legal requirement for a careful and
accurate implementation of our plans.
IMPORTANT RESULTS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT ASSESSMENT
Wastewater emissions. Because of a biological precleaning process, the emissions in
the receiving water are not increased. The improvement of the washing efficiency and
the use of wash presses will ensure the continued reduction of the overall amount of
the wastewater, as well as of the COD and AOX values. A water quality assessment did
not show any negative influence from our wastewater emissions on limnology and fish
stock. This gratifying situation will be maintained.
Exhaust air emissions. The high degree of efficiency of our exhaust air decontamination
system ensures that the contribution of our emissions in both our immediate and
wider environment is so low that the emissions level is substantially below the relevant
benchmarks for humans, animals, and vegetation. We have ensured that this status will
be maintained after the completion of our expansion project.
Noise emissions. As a production location that has grown organically, residential areas
in direct proximity to the plant are a fact of life for us. Even in the past, we always
endeavored to keep our noise emissions in these areas under the permitted benchmarks.
Using control measurements and a dispersion model, we looked for possibilities
that provided potential for optimization. As our projects are realized, these areas
will experience a significant reduction in noise coming from our operations.
Waste management. Because our waste management has been oriented toward the goals of avoiding, recycling, and environmentally-friendly
disposal of waste, our waste accumulation and the portion of the waste that needs to be disposed of has been minimized. As our expansion
project is realized, all residual materials will be put to thermal use at our production location, which will reduce traffic to dispose of these
materials elsewhere.
Traffic. Because of reduced truck traffic for the transport of residual materials and a substantial shift of transport volumes to railway transport,
the completion of our expansion project will result in only a moderate increase of traffic on the roads.
14 ZELLSTOFF
PÖLS AG ANNUAL REPORT 2005