Resource efficient production

Energy

We have already come a long way with phasing out fossil fuels in production. Our efforts to reduce the negative environmental impact are based on systematic work for constant improvements and investments in new technologies, with the goal of running efficient operations with consideration for the surrounding environment and local communities. In region Europe, our production is 98% fossil-free, and we are actively working to reduce fossil fuel use in region North America, which currently stands at 72% fossil-free.

Billerud’s production is energy-intensive. Most of the energy consumed is generated during the pulp process, which releases large amounts of waste heat. This excess heat is primarily reused in production and also contributes to district heating for nearby communities. In Europe, all electricity, wether produced internally or purchased, is covered by Guarantees of Origin (GoOs). In the US, we purchased Emission-Free Energy Certificates (EFECs) covering 60% of our total purchased electricity volume in 2023.

We continuously work to improve the energy efficiency of our facilities and to find new ways to further increase the share of energy produced from renewable resources.

Water

We are committed to minimizing our water use and our impact on water quality. Water is used in a number of processes, for example to wash pulp and to dilute the pulp at our paper and board machines. It is reused multiple times before becoming wastewater, and only 2–5% is consumed through evaporation or incorporated into our products. Since our mills are located near rivers and lakes, we can use surface water with minimal impact on natural water flows.

We are making steady progress toward our 2030 goal of reducing water emissions from our processes. In Europe, our target is to reduce wastewater discharge by 10% compared to 2020, contributing to reduced pollution to water and improved water efficiency in production.

To support this goal, we have created a Water Investment Fund which is active from 2025. This fund finances projects aimed at reducing wastewater emissions and is a key measure in our strategy.

Reuse and waste

Billerud strives to use raw materials as efficiently as possible. For example, most of our energy comes from the fiber residues in our manufacturing process, whereby cellulose fibers in the digester process are extracted using cooking liquor containing inactive chemicals as well as fiber residues. When the concentrated cooking liquor is incinerated in the recovery boiler, we recover and reuse the chemicals as well. In the production process, the significant material flow of waste and waste recovery can be described as follows:

• Bark from wood logs is used in solid biofuel boilers for energy production.
• In the recovery process the cooking chemicals are recycled and energy is recovered from wood residues.
• Turpentine is a by-product from the pulping process, and we supply it to other industries.
• Soap is another by-product that can be traded to an external manufacturer or processed into crude tall oil within the mills. Crude tall oil can be used as an energy source internally or traded to biorefineries that, for example, produce renewable fuels and biobased chemicals.
• Paper and paperboard material waste is dissolved and returned to the production process. The paper and paperboard production also provides residues from coating chemicals that can be used as cover material for landfills after external processing.
• Fiber and bio sludges are separated from the wastewater and are either incinerated for energy recovery or used for soil improvement.

Management systems and certifications

Our production units hold several ISO certifications, and we are actively working to certify additional mills in specific areas.

Below is a list of units that hold ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 50001 certifications.

1. Excluding the Baltic wood supply operation.

For more information about our other certifications, please visit our certificates and standards page.