A key ingredient that is required in order for us to create high-quality packaging papers for medical packaging is water. Thanks to our ideal location and approval from the environmental agency, we are able to source our water directly from the River Bela. To ensure we preserve the local environment, we only extract surface water and return it free of any pollutants. In order to do this, we require what is called an Effluent Treatment Plant, or ETP for short.
An ETP is essential in removing any pollutants from the water that has been used to create our range of papers so that we are able to safely return the water back to the environment. In order to accomplish this, it requires several other bits of machinery, including what is known as a Dissolved Air Floatation unit, or DAF.
In our continuing efforts to improve our processes, we have recently invested in an unused Dissolved Air Floatation unit (DAF) following the closure of the Overton Mill. This DAF will be used to replace the Primary Treatment Tank at the ETP. This is because the primary tank is reaching the end of its life and using a DAF is now a more widely used and effective technology in treating effluent water.
This new DAF is a much larger size unit from the same manufacturer as our current DAF: KWI, and is called a MegaCell 20. This will enable us to take the raw effluent directly from the mill. Furthermore, we will continue to use the primary tank as a backup holding tank in the current process.
This project started in the first week of January and is expected to be completed by the end of the year. Learn more about our efforts to become more eco-friendly, by joining the UN Global Compact and improving our energy efficiencies at the Beetham mill.