We aim for less emissions

We aim for less emissions

In our Finnish factory, about 50% of all used energy is produced with renewable energy sources. Solvents, or volatile organic compounds (VOCs), form our most significant emissions into air. 

The energy we use can be divided into electricity, heat and steam. We purchase energy for our factories from external suppliers. We generate some of the electricity and steam ourselves in 2023, about 49% of all energy used in our tire factories was produced from renewable energy sources.

Steam is generated in the nearby biomass power plant. Energy is provided by solar panels to our administration building in the US factory and to the Visitor Center building in the Nokian Tyres Spain test center, for example.

Energy intensity, GJ/production tonne
  2021 2022 2023
Finland 12.3 9.8 9.2
US 20.7 12.2 13.8
Levypyörä 8.8 8.9 8.3
Energy consumption within the organization, TJ 
  2021 2022 2023
Finland 682 701 710
US 187 223 310
Levypyörä 51 48 42

EMISSIONS

CARBON DIOXIDE (CO2)

We calculate our tire production’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from raw material purchasing to the disposal of the product in compliance with the ISO 14064 standard and GHG protocol. We generate part of the energy needed in our own power stations excluding the factory in Finland. Therefore, the Finnish factory’s direct GHG emissions are below those of the other factories.

In 2023, our location-based scope 2 emissions from tire production were approximately 24,940 tons CO2 eq. Market-based scope 2 emissions were approximately 6,267 tons CO2 eq.

Nokian Tyres’ four science-based emissions reduction targets are in line with the Paris Agreement. The base year for the first three targets is 2018 and 2015 for the fourth target. All the targets should be achieved by 2030. Nokian Tyres is currently in the process of having new, more ambitious emission reduction targets to be validated by the SBT. The new emission targets will be aligned with the 1.5 degrees pathway.  

In 2023, Nokian Tyres reached one of its key emissions reduction targets seven years ahead of schedule. One of the company’s science-based greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets was to cut its tire factories’ CO2 emissions by 52 percent per production ton by 2030 compared to the emissions level in 2015. The target was already achieved in 2023.

Direct greenhouse gas emissions, scope 1, t CO2 eq
  2021 2022 2023
Finland 80 80 70
US 5,930 6,700 9,220
Levypyörä 1,800 1,600 1,400
Tire production total 6,010 6,780 9,290
Indirect greenhouse gas emissions, market based, scope 2, t CO2 eq
  2021 2022 2023
Finland 8,880 6,160 5,400
US 2,480 2,780 870
Levypyörä 880 890 0
Tire production total 11,360 8,940 6,270
Greenhouse gas emissions intensity ratio, scope 1 + scope 2, t CO2 / production t
  2021 2022 2023
Finland 0.16 0.09 0.07
US 0.94 0.52 0.45
Levypyörä 0.36 0.47 0.28
Tire production total  0.44 0.42 0.16

 

VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS, VOCS

Solvents or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) form Nokian Tyres’ most significant emissions into air at the factory in Finland. As the legislation concerning VOC emissions is country-specific, the calculation and reporting of VOC emissions varies by country. 

In Finland, the VOC emissions are calculated according to the EU’s VOC directive, which is based on the used solvents. At Nokian Tyres, no solvents are used in passenger car tire manufacturing, but only in the production of heavy tires (also known as industrial tires). The VOCs from the assembly of heavy tires are collected and conveyed to a catalytic incineration plant. However, collecting the solvent emissions from the production of heavy tires poses a challenge, because it is not possible to seal the emission sources in such a way that all the emissions could be collected and conveyed for incineration.  

Nokian Tyres aims to comply with the total emission limit set in the environmental permit, which is 60 percent of the solvents used in the factory in Finland. In 2023 the total solvent emissions were 81 percent of used solvents. 

In the spring 2022 the company started discussions with environmental authorities related to the VOC emissions requirement in the environmental permit. The key topic in the conversations was the environmental effects of the VOC emissions. As a result, in the fall 2022 a spread modelling of the VOC emissions was conducted to estimate the impacts of the VOCs in the nearby surroundings of the factory in Finland. According to the modelling, the VOC concentrations and environmental effects are minor. Furthermore, absolute solvent use has decreased over 40 percent compared to 2018. An application for updating the environmental permit was submitted to authorities during 2023. 

The VOC emissions from other locations are calculated according to the local legislation based on the amount of raw materials used.

VOC emissions, t
  2021 2022 2023
Finland 55.4 51.5 48.3
US 5.4 13.7 11.3

 

PARTICLE EMISSIONS (DUST)

Particle emissions are caused by the processing of powdery chemicals in our compound mixing department. The mixing equipment is fitted with effective ventilation and dustcollection devices, and the best separation rates achieved by water cleaners exceed 99%. We measure particle emissions with particle concentration and differential pressure gauges. In addition, outside experts carry out regular concentration measurements.

The measured particle concentrations have complied with the permit limits at both of our factories. The dust that passes through the filter system mainly causes an aesthetic inconvenience and poses no harm to the environment or health.

EMISSIONS FROM ENERGY PRODUCTION

An independent company measures the nitrogen and sulfur emissions from our own energy production plants. Our nitrogen and sulfur emissions are below the set emission limits.

You can see our NOx and SOx emissions from our Corporate Sustainability Report 2023.

Odor

According to surveys that we have commissioned, odor emissions are momentary. The mastication process for softening natural rubber causes discharges of compounds during the precipitation and dehydration phases of rubber milk that results in an unpleasant odor in the near surroundings. We use droplet separators for reducing the odors from mastication. We have also managed to lower the number of separate mastication processes, thereby reducing the related odors.

Our factories have introduced new odor control equipment that represents the best available technology (BAT). We have also managed to lower the number of separate mastication processes, thereby reducing the related odors.

Some odors are generated during the tire curing process. The quantity of the curing fumes released in the process is directly proportional to the amount of cured rubber. The concentrations of individual substances in the fumes are very small.

NOISE

Our production facilities have noise limits subject to their environmental permits. We regularly track and measure noise emissions. According to the measurements, we are below the noise limits.

Back to Environment or Read about how we deal with water and wastewater