What is a circular bioeconomy at UPM?

The circular bioeconomy enables us to address the challenges of both climate change and resource scarcity. To make the circular bioeconomy a reality, our goal is to minimise waste, maximise the reuse of materials and waste streams, and create added value through innovations and smart solutions.

Forests are at the heart of circularity at UPM. They are the source for our renewable, bio-based products and materials. We are committed to climate-positive forestry and making a positive impact on biodiversity. We ensure that our forests always grow more than they are used.

Up to 80% of products’ environmental impacts are defined at the design phase. Our Sustainable Product Design concept enables us to develop recyclable products from renewable materials. Collaboration, especially during the design phase, is important to us. Together with customers and partners, we innovate and commercialise new, resource-efficient solutions to promote sustainability and responsible use of renewable and recyclable materials and make the circular bioeconomy a reality.

We consider our products’ environmental and social impacts throughout their lifecycle from material selection to production, use, reuse and recycling. Many of our products are made of residues, side streams and recovered materials. Some examples of our side streams are ash, crude tall oil, organic production residues and lime.

We aim to become a Zero Solid Process Waste to Landfill company globally by 2030. This means that we will not deposit any process waste at landfill sites, and no process waste will be incinerated without energy recovery. We are also working to use only recycled nutrients in our own effluent treatment plants by 2030.

As forest and paper industry wastewaters are poor in nutrients, we need to add nitrogen and phosphorus to the biological stage of the wastewater treatment to make the bacteria work. The use of recycled nutrients not only reduces the overall nutrient load on waterways but also decreases the need for the energy-intensive production of nitrogen and the use of phosphorus, which is a depleting natural resource. 

 

Implementing circular bioeconomy at UPM

Sustainable forestry

Sustainable forestry

Read more
Sustainable Product Design

Sustainable Product Design

Read more
Resource efficiency

Resource efficiency

Read more
 
Circular bioeconomy in action

Circular bioeconomy in action

Read more
Collaboration and partnerships

Collaboration and partnerships

Read more
 

Creating impact through innovation and circularity

87%

of process waste is recycled or recovered

Most of our process waste is recycled or recovered as energy. We aim at 100% by 2030.

60%

of mills reuse 100% of process waste

Many of our mills do not send any process waste to landfills.

33%

of nutrients come from recycled sources

Our goal is that 100% of nutrients used at effluent treatment come from recycled sources by 2030.

93%

of ash is recycled

Ash forms our single largest side stream. It is reused, for example, in soil stabilisation and the cement industry.

 

We minimize waste and maximise reuse

Our products are made of renewable wood from sustainably managed forests. Many of them are made of residues, side streams and recovered materials.

 

1.

Renewable materials from sustainably managed forests

Forests are a source for our renewable bio-based products and materials.

2.

Circular by design

Circularity is an integral part of our Sustainable Product Design concept.

3.

Efficient use of resources

We work to maximise the recirculation of materials, nutrients and water.

 
 
Designing products sustainably

Designing products sustainably

Read more
A circular economy creates solutions in the construction industry

A circular economy creates solutions in the construction industry

Read more
Unleashing the potential of recycled nutrients

Unleashing the potential of recycled nutrients

Read more
 

WE ARE LOOKING FOR COLLABORATION!

 

Related Articles


From science to action: how LCA data helps generate business in the changing labeling industry
Story | 10/01/2024 07:00:03 | 4 min

From science to action: how LCA data helps generate business in the changing labeling industry

Read more
Behind the scenes: Transparency brings added value to customers, believes Sustainability Manager Jaakko Paloheimo
Story | Anu Ritvanen | 09/06/2024 09:10:58 | 2 min

Behind the scenes: Transparency brings added value to customers, believes Sustainability Manager Jaakko Paloheimo

Read more
Are you interested in providing high-quality chemical information to your customers and partners?
Story | Dan Rider | 09/05/2024 09:07:07 | 3 min

Are you interested in providing high-quality chemical information to your customers and partners?

Read more
UPM takes nature into account in its daily operations
Story | 08/30/2024 11:49:37 | 6 min

UPM takes nature into account in its daily operations

Read more