Have you ever thought about whatever happens to the waste from our pulp and paper making processes? As a global company, Asia Pulp & Paper is committed to creating positive environmental impacts for the world. Therefore, with the dedication of our engineers and experts, we strive to cut down our waste and even turn it into valuable resources.
These efforts are part of our commitments to the circular economy. We turn by-products, like black liquor, bark, and other residues from forestry and pulping activities, into energy sources that directly replace fossil fuels at our integrated pulp and paper mills.
For example, at the OKI Pulp & Paper Mill in Ogan Komering Ilir, South Sumatera, we use acacia wood waste as a fuel source for our electric steam power plant. We built the plant next to our clean water, black liquor, and pulp-drying facilities.
The power plant has two power boilers that produce 840 tonnes of steam per hour. Additionally, a recovery boiler also provides 2,030 tonnes of steam per hour by burning acacia wood sap. In turn, this high-pressure steam spins the turbine, which moves the generator to generate electricity. It operates 24 hours except for the annual maintenance period.
On top of that, we also turn barks into methane gas using two gasifiers at the mill. We utilize the gas as fuel for our lime kiln, which is a unit to transform limestone into quicklime for paper production. Isn't that great?
Besides diverting waste from landfills, using waste streams such as black liquor, bark and other residues from forestry and pulping activities, help to reduce carbon intensity. That is because it directly replaces fossil fuels at our integrated pulp and paper mills. In 2018, we utilized over 9 million tonnes of these by-products.
These are only some of the many ways that we do to contribute to the circular economy. Head to our sustainability page and follow our social media accounts to learn more about our efforts to realize efficient production, responsible business, and a more sustainable tomorrow!
