H8. Water

Essity’s Group target for water is that the company’s tissue operations will reduce the level of suspended solids, the volume of water used and organic content (BOD) by 10% by 2020, with 2014 as reference year.

In 2018, levels of suspended solids decreased by 18.5%, volumes of effluent water by 2.9% and the amount of organic content (BOD) by 25.0%.

Usage and discharge of water

Most of Essity’s water is used to transport fibers during production processes and the remainder is mainly used as cooling water. 75% of the water used is drawn from surface sources. Essity’s reporting of water usage states totals for surface water, groundwater and municipal water systems. Essity’s effluent water is divided into cooling water and process water. Cooling water has simply been heated and is not contaminated in any way. The total volume of discharged water was 93 million cubic meters. The water is treated using mechanical and biological treatment systems. The figures for 2018 refer to process water emissions.

The emissions to water stated in the tables comprise COD, BOD, suspended solids, AOX, P and N. Methods of measuring differ in some respects.

In 2018, the Group used 100 million cubic meters of water in pulp and paper production.

Seven of Essity’s wholly owned production facilities are located in so-called water-stressed areas. The sites accounted for 6% of Essity’s total water consumption in 2018, distributed between 40% from surface sources, 28% from groundwater and the remainder from recycled water and municipal water systems.

Water extraction 2018