Arjowiggins Graphic records 53.1% reduction in CO2 emissions

Arjowiggins Graphic has re-emphasised the sustainability of recycled paper grades as it announced "significant improvements" to its use of water and energy emissions.

Over the past five years, the company's energy saving programmes, which include a biomass combined heat and energy plant, have lead to a reduction in CO2 emissions by 53.1%.

Energy consumption has decreased by 27.3%, while the amount of rejects in water decreased by 55.6%, and water consumption by 25.4%.

Julian Long, national key account manager at the company, said: "Recycled paper is the greenest option overall – it uses up waste paper and its production requires less energy and fewer chemicals."

The company's paper mills have also reduced chemical oxygen demand in treated effluent by 18% per tonne of production, and reduced its biochemical oxygen demand in treated effluent by around 31%.

Arjowiggins Graphic said it will continue to expand its recycled grade products and further leverage integration and innovation at its de-inking pulp mill in France.

The company is also in the process of teaming up with WWF France as part of the NGO's WWF Climate Savers initiative, which encourages companies to cut carbon dioxide.

The company is part of the Arjowiggins Group, which is owned by Sequana along with paper merchant Antalis. It has a turnover of €600m (£506m) and employs 1,700 staff.