Smurfit Kappa has inaugurated a ‘pioneering’ purification and wastewater treatment plant in Belgrade, Serbia – the first of its kind in the country.
According to the Irish packaging firm, the plant is located on the site of Smurfit Kappa’s Belgrade paper mill, which was acquired in 2019.
Water Purification
The group’s €5 million investment in the plant ‘enables it to purify water to the highest standards before it can be returned to the environment’.
Purified water can also be partially reused in the process, further reducing water consumption by up to 90%.
This innovative treatment also reduces electricity usage and CO2 emissions by up to 80%, the company added.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Ana Brnabić, prime minister of Serbia, said, “By 2025, all companies have a deadline for introducing wastewater treatment plants.
“Smurfit Kappa did this two years ahead of schedule by building the first industrial biological plant.
“This is an example of how all business people in Serbia should join the policy of sustainable development.”
Ongoing Commitment
Saverio Mayer, CEO, Smurfit Kappa Europe, said that the opening of this state-of-the-art facility demonstrates the company’s ongoing commitment to sustainable water management.
“We are proud to be the first company to bring this innovative purification and water treatment system to Serbia, as part of our continued investment to ensure the process is as sustainable as the product. Smurfit Kappa continues to lead our industry towards more innovative and sustainable methods of water treatment.”
Since 2018, Smurfit Kappa has been a signatory to the UN Global CEO Water Mandate, and it is also a member of the Cepi Water Issue Group, which looks into water-specific industry issues.
Read More: Smurfit Kappa Named In TIME Magazine’s World’s Best Companies List
