Environmental incident prompts investigation in Hukkajoki, Suomussalmi

Janne Partanen, the forestry manager of Stora Enso, is visiting the area affected by an environmental incident at Hukkajoki in Suomussalmi today. The company has been investigating what happened at the logging site in recent days after receiving initial reports of the environmental accident from the regional Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY centre).

Stora Enso previously stated that it has comprehensive guidelines for protecting endangered mussel species, but these guidelines were not followed in this case. According to Metsähallitus, a number of Hukkajoki’s freshwater mussels were crushed under the wheels of heavy machinery transporting wood, while others perished due to mud, sand, and logging debris ending up in the river. Reports indicate that the mussel beds were traversed at least 300 times by vehicles.

Both Stora Enso and the landowner received instructions from the Kainuu ELY centre prohibiting the crossing of Hukkajoki at the logging site. These instructions, sent on May 15, clearly stated that vehicles should not cross at the site of the mussels and that any crossing point should be chosen to prevent sediment runoff into the river.

Furthermore, the Kainuu ELY centre is filing a criminal report today, as it is mandatory to do so regarding significant environmental damages, despite the police already investigating the matter. The environmental incident was first reported by Stora Enso on August 19, following the discovery of severe damage to the mussel population, which included the death of thousands of endangered mussels and damage to a stretch of the river measuring between 150 and 200 meters. The police are treating this case as a serious environmental crime.