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Conserve and recycle to avoid shortages Rigesa is very concerned about preserving the environment and offering better standards of living, for both its employees and the communities where it is directly or indirectly active. However, our concern does not stop there. During energy shortages it is essential to establish routines that guarantee the maximum utilization of the available resources, not only economizing where possible, but also recycling for future use. Here you will learn how Rigesa directs its resource utilization programs, where the winners are Mother Nature and all of us who use her resources.
Water: a precious asset, becoming rarer every day. Of all the water on our planet, only 3% to 5% is fresh water, and of this only 1% is available for human consumption. Therefore, the use of this precious and increasingly rare resource should follow strict criteria. Water is present at every step of the pulp and paper cycle. Pulp production requires the use of large quantities, while the production of packaging requires less. The water used is brought in from rivers close to the factories.
Physical-chemical and physical-chemical-biological processes (aeration ponds) make up the waste treatment systems for factory wastes. This ensures that the standard emissions to the receiving bodies (rivers) conform to or exceed legal requirements. Environmental control agencies confirm this through their monitoring activities. With all of these measures, Rigesa guarantees over 90% efficiency in the treatment of wastewater, compared to a minimum efficiency of 80% required by law. In practice, besides maintaining a standard higher than the law, the water we return to the river is frequently cleaner than it was when we received it. Highlights: Some of our wastewater treatment facilities deserve special mention. The Três Barras paper mill was recognized by FATMA - the Santa Catarina State Environment Foundation--and became an industry benchmark through its usage of primary and secondary sludge removers. The Valinhos paper mill is another example of our wastewater treatment efficiency. Around 95% of all water used is from a closed system. This system minimizes natural resource usage, and in the future will mean that zero water is taken from the river. Rigesa won the "Action For Water" environmental award for this.
The various pulp, paper and packaging manufacturing processes generally emit sulfur gas and particulate matter into the, whether by burning combustible material, by the cooking of wood chips, or by the chemical recovery of products for re-use in the manufacture process. Generation of these sulfur compounds (TRS) may cause odors, depending on the weather conditions (cloudy day, little wind, etc.), geography (valleys, nearby mountains, etc.), or when higher concentrations exist. Rigesa monitors its atmospheric emissions to keep emission levels at a point that minimizes negative impact and guarantees compliance with environmental laws. Some factories maintain 24 hour a day, 365-day a year monitoring stations that continually track atmospheric emissions to evaluate their effects on air quality in the surrounding community. Besides continual monitoring, Rigesa completed a broad atmospheric emissions reduction program in 1999 at its Três Barras, SC, pulp and paper mill. The program included over US$ 50 million for the construction of a new chemical recovery boiler and a new system for collection and incineration of non-condensable gases (NCG) which contain a high level of odorous compounds. The NCG system for the most part eliminated factory odors and made Três Barras one of the lowest emission content pulp and paper mills in Brazil. The recovery boiler uses combustion techniques that significantly reduce sulfur compound emissions and has an electrostatic precipitator that controls pollution emission, capturing more than 98% of the particulate matter that would otherwise be emitted. The equipment is considered world class and employs the best available technology. Machines called cyclones are used at the packaging factories. The Pacajus box plant has begun using natural gas to improve air quality in the region. In the very near future the other Rigesa factories will also operate their boilers with natural gas. Highlights
Energy: the power to move
Equipment efficiency and employing up to date technology are the most important factors in developing our industry in a way that promotes intelligent use of natural resources and the least environmental impact. The Pacajus box plant obtains part of its energy needs from natural gas, the first industry in the Fortaleza region to use this energy source. In the very near future the other Rigesa factories will also operate their boilers with natural gas. In the corrugated cardboard and paperboard packaging factories part of the electricity needs are met by local power and light companies. Protection guarantees the future Rigesa owns 54 thousand hectares of forest area spread over two states: Paraná e Santa Catarina. When the value of the wildlife and trees existing in these holdings are taken into consideration, their value is priceless. The company has an efficient fire prevention and control program to protect these areas. The program starts the moment the forest is established up to the time it is harvested. As part of the prevention program, Rigesa has instituted a fire break program in 100% of those areas bordering private properties, and runs awareness campaigns in the local communities. When the land property lines are clear cut or covered with creeping green plants it is much harder for fire on a neighboring property to spread to company areas. There are also strategically located watchtowers that permit professionals to identify a fire more than 30 kilometers away. When a hot spot is located the fire department is immediately activated. Headquarters monitors the entire process through modern communication systems until the fire department arrives at the site. Soil preparation The Três Barras paper mill has a strong solid waste management and control program encompassing everything from industrial waste to pre-treated medical waste and food waste generated on-site. The office-waste recycling program separates materials such as paper, plastic, glass, batteries and metal, and sends them to be recycled, aiming at reducing total landfill waste. The factory operates a class 2 industrial landfill with a capacity of 80.000 m³. It was built using the best impermeability and drainage techniques allowing all class II waste disposal to be done in a controlled fashion. Eight wells form the monitoring network responsible for performing physical and chemical analyses on random water samples to control the water table quality.
Our forests and land Such an immense forest area requires special care. Factors such as sapling cultivation, tree growth, soil erosion, pest prevention and eradication and intensive observation during the dry season when the risk of fire increases must be taken into account in the development of our pine forests and native flora cultivation. Teams made up of specialists in each area are dedicated to creating the conditions necessary for healthy forest development. With a team of technicians and partnerships with universities and research centers, Rigesa has the most modern resources and techniques available.
Native forest preservation is just as important to Rigesa as developing our pine forests. Harmonious co-existence between the two allow each area's original flora and fauna to be maintained besides making a positive contribution to the atmosphere. Of the 48 thousand hectares of forests maintained by Rigesa, 28% are permanent native forest reserves. The company works with nurseries exclusively devoted to producing seedlings of trees that are native to company forestlands. These nurseries supply around 30 thousand seedlings per year of more than 40 different species, all allocated to recuperation or enlargement of undergrowth along river or creek margins. Since 1997 Rigesa has put in place the Cooperative Forest Management Program throughout the northern part of Santa Catarina. Besides donating Pinus taeda and Pinus elliottii seedlings, the company offers private growers all the necessary technical support to plant and manage their forests. Pine: The principal raw material Pine tree trunks are the main raw material used to produce the pulp from which kraft paper is produced. This wood comes from forests planted specifically to produce pine, and Brazil is ideal for these plantations due to its climate, soil, and available arable land. In the last few years the pine tree, originally from North America, has proven to be an excellent choice due to its adaptation to the Brazilian climate and the speed that it reaches maturity. Because of this, it is the species most used by the Brazilian pulp and paper industry. Pine is used to produce long fiber pulp. Because of their homogeneity, genetically improved forests increase the final product's quality. |
Water, air, earth and fire. In harmony with Nature.
At Rigesa, the water used is treated at a Wastewater Treatment Facility before being returned to the river. The waste may be industrial - water from boilers or the washing and cooking of pulp; from other steps in production; or from domestic, sanitary or restaurant sources.
The air we breathe
Energy use in primary transformation industries is always very intense. Our industry is no different. We depend on energy to produce steam, operate diverse equipment and transport materials during other production steps.
Native forest preservation and recuperation