Century Pulp & Paper, a key division of the Aditya Birla Group, is showing the way forward to the industry for sustainable paper production. The company shared that its conscious initiatives towards a sustainable future have resulted in substantial reduction of carbon foot print in a year! Century Pulp & Paper has achieved zero liquid discharge in recycle based paper & tissue paper plant by adoption of advanced technologies in its wastewater treatment process.
Sustainability is at the heart of Century Pulp & Paper (CPP). CPP runs several forest and water conservation initiatives which has resulted in increasing wood availability in nearby areas and also reduction of water consumption by more than 37% in last few years. This has received applaud, recognition and awards from different quarters, including government and private entities. Their certifications by the Forestry Stewardship Council for conservation efforts, and other certifications, including ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001, demonstrate their commitment to excellence, environmental responsibility and quality products that meet international standards. They are also the recipient of the national award for best performer in energy saving. CPP is the first company in India to sell all ECerts (Energy Savings Certificates) under the PAT Cycle 1 & 2.
Watch: In Pursuit of Lesser Water Footprint
Sustainable Sourcing of Raw Materials
At Century Pulp & Paper (CPP), the prime raw material is hard wood, sourced from social farm forestry. Along with wood, they use bagasse and recycled fibre as raw material. Under the social farm forestry, farmers are encouraged for growing of trees like eucalyptus and poplar. Eucalyptus clones are developed in mist chambers and distributed to farmers in nearby areas for sustainability of raw material. Apart from maintaining wood sustainability and increasing green cover in the region, the sustainable initiative offers significant environmental & social benefits. The CO2 produced in the process is sequestered in their plant. As of FY-24, a total of 52.97 lakh plantations have been done & during the current FY-25,110.5 lacs plantations have been already done. Their plantations achievement is well recognized by Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology Pantnagar and awarded for creativity of their plantation activities in 36th Quality Circle Competition conducted by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) at Rudrapur on dated 22 September 2023. CPP participated in 116th All India Farmers Fair & Agro Industrial Exhibition -2024 and awarded Special position in Agro- Forestry, Nursery, Herbal and Medicinal Plants group. CPP remains dedicated to leading the way in sustainable paper production.
Environment-Friendly Manufacturing Technologies
CPP produce its own bagasse pulp. They have a dedicated machine for manufacturing Century Green Pulp, derived from bagasse using advanced molding technology, which is utilized in the production of tableware items, which is substitute for plastic products &ultimately help in conservation of environment.
CPP use innovative green technology for the treatment and conversion of high COD wastewater (bagasse wash water) into biogas, which is further converted into compressed methane gas (CMG) for use in their tissue paper plant in place of LPG. This initiative was recognized for innovation by Ministry of New & Renewable Energy, Government of India. The company has achieved zero liquid discharge (ZLD) in its wastewater treatment process at its recycle based-paper & tissue paper plant by incorporating technologies such as clarification for separate treatment and complete recycling of recycled paper plant wastewater for raw material washing & pulping process. 12 units of Sarovar having capacity of 2.3 crore liters of water constructed at Dauli & Kishanpur range at Tarai East Forest Division, Haldwani. This initiative will help in availability of water for wild life as well as recharge of ground water.
CPP has replaced coal in its boilers with biomass fuels, such as Bagasse Pith, Perul (pine tree leaves) and wood dust & bark. They are transitioning to renewable energy with a solar plant and utilizing biomass fuels to minimize their carbon footprint. They have regular audits conducted by leading agencies like TERI & CII for implementation of efficient technologies & water conservation projects. They have installed 2.6 MWp solar power plant to promote use of green energy.
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Reduce, Recycle and Reuse
Following a focused approach of 3R (Reduce, Recycle and Reuse) for water management, they have significantly reduced water consumption from 41.49 m3/ ton in FY15 to 25.97 m3/ ton in FY24. Their reduced water consumption has helped us to minimize wastewater generation and effluent discharge.
The waste management system of Century Pulp & Paper also follows the 3R principles. They identify, monitor & reuse waste while making sure that it aligns to the group’s target of zero waste to landfill.
Wealth out of Waste: They have a lime kiln to re-convert lime sludge into CaO which is again used in white liquor generation in the chemical soda recovery section. CO2 from stack is being utilized for manufacturing Precipitated Calcium Carbonate (PCC).
Century Pulp & Paper’s commitment to sustainability is driving innovative solutions in waste management. Through various initiatives, the company extracts Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) sludge, which is effectively repurposed by gypsum board manufacturers. Additionally, the fly ash generated at its manufacturing facility is supplied to cement industries, transforming waste into a valuable resource. These practices not only reduce environmental impact but also create a harmonious synergy between businesses and industries, exemplifying the power of collaboration in fostering a circular economy.
CPP manufactures its products prioritizing environmental sustainability & social responsibility. They are continuously working on new product development to substitute plastic products with new paper and board variants. Some of them include Century Star, a fully biodegradable and recyclable paper made from bagasse and Century Green, a copier paper made with environmentally-friendly processes.
