€27 million invested in new waste management sustainability initiative at Spanish paper mill

Smurfit Kappa, one of the world's leading paper-based packaging companies, has announced that it will invest €27 million in a new sustainability initiative at its Nervión paper mill in Iurreta, Spain. The investment will see the mill adopt a fully circular production process involving the biggest landfill reduction project the company has undertaken to date.

The new waste management and recovery facility will involve the installation of a state-of-the-art lime kiln and gas treatment system with a production capacity of 120 tonnes of lime per day. This circular system will enable the calcium carbonate waste generated during the manufacturing process to be transformed into lime and then reintroduced into the production process as a raw material. This will have a positive impact on the mill’s carbon footprint by diverting 75,000 tonnes of waste from landfill and eliminating approximately 450,000 km per year in road transport.

The initiative is compliant with Directive 2010/75/EU of the European Parliament, which regulates industrial emissions, and has been developed in collaboration with several technology firms. The expansion and optimisation of the plant, along with the construction of the lime kiln and gas treatment system, will support the delivery of Smurfit Kappa's 2025 sustainability commitments.

Javier Rivas, Smurfit Kappa COO of Paper & Board Europe, said: "We are delighted about the installation of this industry-leading system which will help our mill to become more sustainable and environmentally friendly. With this new lime kiln and gas treatment system, we will be able to recover and reuse more of our materials. We look forward to seeing the new system up and running later this year."

Rafael Sarrionandia, Smurfit Kappa Nervión General manager and CEO of Kraft Specialties Spain, added: "This investment reaffirms our clear commitment to acting sustainably, becoming increasingly circular as a site, and, at the same time ensuring the long-term future of the facility."

The project is nearing completion, and the plant is expected to be fully operational later in the year. This investment marks Smurfit Kappa's clear commitment to sustainability and environmentally-friendly practices while ensuring the long-term future of the facility.