Sofidel receives the PPI water efficiency Award
The award was presented yesterday in Brussels by RISI, the leading information provider for the global forest products industry, in recognition of the Soffass Cartiera via Giuseppe Lazzareschi in Porcari (Lucca) plant for having limited water usage to just 3.9 l/kg.
The PPI (Pulp & Paper International) Award for the Water Efficiency category was yesterday presented to Sofidel, the paper group known for the Regina brand.
The awards ceremony, held yesterday evening at the Royal Museums of Art and History in Brussels, was organised by RISI, the leading information provider for the global forest products industry, and recognised excellence in the international tissue sector.
The awarding of the prize for the Water Efficiency category recognises the work done in reducing water usage at the Soffass Cartiera via Giuseppe Lazzareschi in Porcari (Lucca) plant.
In the production site has been installed the Waste Water Reuse plant for reusing waste water for production purposes. An investment that permits a saving of more than 250,000 m3 of water per annum. The plant features three different purification phases:
- biological process to drastically reduce the level of organic pollutants
- use of ultrafiltration membrane batteries to separate the solid material from the liquid
- reverse osmosis system treatment to eliminate the residual saline content
Thanks to this plant, the water used per kilogram of paper produced in this production site is 3.9 l/kg, an exceptional figure.
The efficient and responsible use of water in production processes is one of the key points of Sofidel’s sustainable development strategy, and is pursued through both management measures and specific investments, which have enabled the achievement of significantly lower than average water usage per kilogram of paper produced compared to what is considered as best practice (7.0 l/kg compared to 15-25 l/kg).
As well as containing water use in production processes, Sofidel’s sustainable growth strategy has also led to the reduction of direct greenhouse gas emissions (-19.1% compared to 2009 base values per tonne of paper produced) and the procurement of certified cellulose from independent third parties through forestry certification schemes, which reached the 100% mark in 2016 (FSC®, FSC Controlled Wood, SFI®, PEFC™).
Porcari (LU), 30th November, 2017