Circular economy: Orient Paper leads the way
15 October, 2023
4 minute read
In our world today, sustainability is no longer just a buzzword but a necessity. A necessity to make our planet better, a necessity to make everyones’ lives better, today and in the future. The delivering on 17 UN Sustainability Development Goals MUST remain front and center of every leading business along with delivering its business performance. And that is exactly the philosophy at Orient Paper.
Orient Paper, we adopt ESG (Environment, Safety and Governance) in spirit, not just in letter. That’s because it has always been at the heart of our approach to business.
A key aspect of this change is the concept of circular economy. Circular economy is not just about recycling, it’s about rethinking resource utilisation, from the start to the finish.
At Orient Paper, we’re setting a strong example of a circular economy. We are not just following best practices, we are helping set them. This is across our diverse range of high-quality paper solutions including writing, printing, tissue and specialty paper.
Our circular strategies
Sustainable sourcing
Orient Paper starts at the very beginning: the sourcing of raw materials. We believe in sustainable sourcing and have helped farmers utilise 1,60,000 acres of barren land for pulpwood plantations. Every year, we work with farmers to utilise as much of non-agrarian, non-forest land as possible for sustainable forestry. It gives them additional incomes and it helps the environment
Energy efficiency and reduction
Given the high energy use in paper manufacturing, Orient Paper ensures that a significant portion of this energy is sourced sustainably. We currently generate 27% of our energy from installed solar PV and renewable biomass (black liquor).
We are aiming at generating 45% of our energy needs from renewable and bio-fuel sources. Not just that, we are targeting to become the world’s first paper company to make a 100% shift from fossil fuel (except for steam requirements).
Water reuse and waste management
Water is a critical resource in paper manufacturing and the manufacturing tends to generate a lot of waste. But at Orient Paper, we have achieved Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) status by purifying and recycling virtually all of the wastewater produced. Since this is clean water, we reuse it for ash quenching, wood log washing and in our 400-acre+ company plantation. Watershed management is also part of our sustainability initiatives.
Orient Paper will be a leader in the adoption and practice of the Circular Economy as part of our commitment to the UN Sustainability Development Goals.
