Committed to protecting the environment
Our aim is to minimize the environmental burden of our operations as much as is economically and technically feasible. During the last decades, we have made significant investments to minimize our environmental impacts.
Outokumpu's key environmental objectives are to prevent environmental incidents, to reduce emissions into water and air, to improve energy efficiency and to optimize the use of water. The enhanced use of recycled steel as raw material and the reduction of process waste are also important.
Mitigating the impact of our production
In stainless steel production, the largest environmental impacts include dust emissions into the air, water discharges from production, use of direct and indirect energy, and waste created in the production process. Steel melting and rolling processes generate dust and scales that are collected, treated, and when possible, recycled in our own production.
We use efficient dust filtering systems that remove 99% of the particles. All precautions have been taken into consideration and the input material is pre-checked for excluding any unwanted content, such as mercury and radioactive contaminated material, which do not belong in the stainless steel production.
Water is used in our production process in annealing, pickling and cooling phases. Water is treated and recycled whenever possible, and only some purified water is discharged to the municipal wastewater system. Before discharging, all wastewater is treated either in the company’s own treatment plants or in municipal water treatment systems.
Outokumpu has constantly improved its energy efficiency in all production sites by optimizing internal supply chains and increasing capacity usage globally. All sites are certified according to quality ISO 9001 and environment ISO 14001 management systems. Proper implementation of these systems is monitored by internal and external audits.
Promoting biodiversity
At Outokumpu, we recognize the importance of biodiversity in maintaining healthy ecosystems and resilient societies. As a global stainless steel producer, we are committed to understanding and managing our impacts on nature across our operations and supply chain.
Our activities interact with biodiversity through greenhouse gas emissions, water use and pollution, and land use change. These pressures are most pronounced at high-production sites such as Tornio and Calvert. In our supply chain, raw materials like nickel and manganese are sourced from regions with rich biodiversity, which presents both environmental and reputational risks.
We have biodiversity action plans in place at all manufacturing sites and continue to develop our approach based on site-specific risks and pressures. Our corporate sustainability targets—such as reducing emissions, increasing recycled material use, and improving slag utilization—support biodiversity by minimizing resource extraction and pollution.
Outokumpu is actively monitoring developments in nature-related frameworks, including the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) and Science-Based Targets for Nature (SBTN). While we have not committed to setting science-based targets for nature at this stage, we are exploring how these approaches could support our long-term sustainability goals.
Through collaboration, transparency, and continuous improvement, we aim to contribute to the protection and restoration of biodiversity while advancing responsible business practices.
High biodiversity areas
Tornio, Finland
The Tornio site, which includes integrated ferrochrome and stainless steel production, is located near the Tornionjoki river and the northern coast of the Gulf of Bothnia. The river is protected under EU Natura legislation. Long-term monitoring since 1975 indicates that the site does not have significant impacts on the Gulf or the river, which is located upstream from the facility.
The impact of the Tornio site on biodiversity has been widely identified. Measures aimed at maintaining biodiversity (primarily avoiding and minimizing impacts) have been determined and are being implemented in accordance with an internal action plan.
Kemi, Finland
Outokumpu operates an underground chromium mine in Kemi, Finland, adjacent to an EU Natura area. The mine site includes barren rock and tailings storage areas, operational facilities, and water recycling ponds. Protected peatland on the east border safeguard northern wetland habitats and biodiversity. No negative impacts on biodiversity have been reported.
Biodiversity is considered in the mine’s landscaping and closure plans, and environmental impacts, such as dust and water effects, are minimized also during the mining activities. The mine also aims to support local biodiversity, especially birdlife.
Processed water is recycled on-site, with 95% reused from tailings and sedimentation ponds. These ponds, with peat rafts and fish populations, form an artificial ecosystem that attracts diverse bird species and other wildlife, including otters, lynxes, and moose. Monitoring is conducted in collaboration with local bird enthusiasts.
Avesta, Sweden
The other of Outokumpus two integrated stainless steel plants in Europe is located in Avesta with land property 2,5 km² at south part of Dalarna County.
Dalälven in the central of Sweden is the second longest river in the country. It flows from the north of Dalarna and flows into the Sea of Bothnia at Skutskär in northern Uppland. Main source of water to Avesta site is Dalälven.
The water in Dalälven is floating in average with 379 m³/s. Maximal withdrawal for Avesta site is 0,5 m³/s. Used wastewater are treated before it goes back to the river. Examples of discharges into recipient water from the Avesta site are suspended particles, metals and nitrates, which are regularly measured by self-control programme.
Outokumpu collaborates with various stakeholders to monitor and reduce impacts on air and water. For maintaining and improving local biodiversity and ecosystem the Avesta site have let tree logs remain on the ground so they can become a hotel and food storage for a wide array of insects. Placing a bat house and leaving some areas without grass cutting are other initiatives done for biodiversity.