CMPC’s Guaíba Plant in Brazil Achieves Record Water Conservation Rates

In July, the Brazilian pulp mill reached an all-time record low water consumption of 24.99 m3/ADMT. This figure is equivalent to saving more than 3 billion liters of water in one year, enough to supply 75 thousand people.

After a series of initiatives aligned with the goal of the 2030 Strategy to reduce water consumption by 25% by 2025, during the month of July the Brazilian pulp mill, located in Guaíba, Brazil, had a historical water consumption record of 24.99 m3/Admt, the lowest ever recorded. This figure is equivalent to saving more than 3 billion liters of water annually. According to the WHO (World Health Organization), this number represents enough for the consumption of a population of 75 thousand people in one year.

The main activities carried out to achieve this reduction were the “Factory of Ideas” Program, which collected ideas from collaborators in these matters. The Six Sigma Green Belt project and the creation of an Internal Water Use Committee focused on evaluating opportunities for improvement and implementing the new measures.
Bruna Giacomin Bof, Environmental Manager of Guaíba Plant, explained that the implementation of projects was also carried out through actions to reduce water consumption, such as recovering water from the heat exchangers of the fans of the Recovery Boiler 1 and the recovery of water from reverse washing of the filters of the Water Treatment Plant 1.

“This achievement is the result of a strategic effort that highlights our commitment to the environment and the sustainability of our operations as well as a true confirmation that we are on the right track. I would also like to point out that the BioCMPC Project, which is in the final construction phase, will bring better results through its new technologies for the rational use of water resources in our pulp production processes,” said Bruna Giacomin Bof.