Water is a vital element in our operations and is necessary to produce our product. As a leader in sustainable manufacturing, we are committed to reducing our water consumption and have set a 2030 goal to reduce the amount of water consumed per ton of production by 25%, and to implement context-based water stewardship plans at our mills.
Water Stewardship
We acquire water from three main sources: surface water, groundwater and third-party providers (local municipalities). Because we depend on water availability in all regions, we engage in water reduction efforts to support resilient ecosystems.
We use water throughout the papermaking process, and we return about 95% to the local watershed. The other 5% evaporates during our use or remains as moisture content in our pulp and paper. During the papermaking process, water can be reused up to 10 times before treating and discharging. To meet our 2030 reduction goals, we will continue to look for ways to improve water efficiency, recycling and treatment processes.
Partnerships in Action
We are working with World Wildlife Fund on the Mogi Guacu Roots project to promote restoration of priority springs and riparian areas in the Mogi Guacu River basin within the Atlantic Forest region. Significant loss of forest cover in the region has contributed to severe drought, affecting the supply of drinking water and stable availability for industrial users, including Sylvamo.
The project initiated in 2018 with initial phases focused on mobilizing landowners and rural producers to engage in the restoration process by aligning on a shared restoration vision for the basin, identifying and mapping priority restoration areas, developing restoration implementation plans, collecting native seed and building capacity for seedling production.
For our part in the project, we set a goal of restoring 180 hectares of native forest by 2026. The environmental benefits of these restoration efforts include stabilizing soils of riparian forests, improving water quality and availability and increasing the habitat areas fundamental to local biodiversity. By strengthening water resilience in the Mogi Guacu River Basin, the Raizes project contributes to better ecological, social and economic conditions in the region.
