Sustainable throughout the lifecycle

The sustainable pulp and paper industry

The paper industry is ripe for sustainable solutions that encompass economic, environmental and social responsibility. Circular economy models, in which materials are continually recycled and reused, create new business opportunities for the industry, as it links together environmental targets and economic goals.

Paper provides an excellent and living example of the circular economy at work. In Europe, the paper recycling rate is above 70%. Wood fibre can be recycled and reused to produce new paper up to six times. At the end of their papermaking life when material is finally rejected from the recycling process it can be used to generate renewable bioenergy and the resulting ashes can be used as, for example, raw material for construction.

Optimised use & reuse

Sustainability and innovation are at the core of UPM’s Biofore strategy. We use valuable and renewable forest biomass as responsibly and efficiently as possible.

UPM is a frontrunner in paper recycling, with a deinking process technology that has been in place since the 1960s and continually developing. Today, UPM is the largest user of recovered paper in the graphic industry, processing 2.5 million tonnes of recovered paper globally every year.

This share of recycled fibre represents one third of all fibre raw materials used in UPM paper production. We also look to ensure local supply chains, so that paper is recovered by nearby mills to minimize environmental and financial costs.

Fully sustainable life cycle

UPM paper is made with the highest level of responsibility, fulfilling demanding environmental and social responsibility criteria. We only use raw materials sourced from sustainably managed forests or recovered paper and strive to use bioenergy in production whenever possible. Promoting the circular economy, UPM is committed to maximising reuse and minimising waste in all operations. By maximizing the use of recycled paper we not only reduce landfill waste and pollution, but provide sustainable raw material for new products.