Measures the Koehler Group is taking to ensure sustainable water management

Why is water so important for paper production?
Water is essential for paper production. We generally use fresh water for cooling purposes first, then for pulp dissolution and as process water. Most of the water used is recycled in closed circuits.

How much water is needed per kilogram of paper?
The specific water consumption in the industry averages around nine liters per kilogram of paper. The Koehler Group also averages around this figure. Since the 1990s, the average water consumption per ton of paper has fallen by more than 40 percent.

Where does the water for paper production come from?
The German paper industry uses around 213 million cubic meters of fresh water per year. At our company, around 90 percent of the fresh water used comes from our own wells, with only around 10 percent coming from surface water. Drinking water from the public network is used exclusively for administrative and sanitary purposes at the Koehler Group and plays no role in paper production.

What happens to the water in the end?
Water is not consumed, but used, as most of it is returned to the environment. In 2021, around 90 percent of the water used in the European paper industry was returned in good quality, while the rest either evaporated, remained in the product, or was bound in solid waste. At the Koehler Group, we reuse water until further use is no longer economically viable. And with four liters of wastewater per kilogram of paper, our Koehler Paper plant in Kehl is one of the most water-efficient paper production facilities in Europe.

What measures is the Koehler Group taking to ensure sustainable water management?

• We use water responsibly: we use fresh water sparingly, treat wastewater thoroughly, and use as few chemicals as necessary.
• We continuously improve our processes through optimized circulation.
• Our own wastewater treatment plants at our Koehler Paper sites in Oberkirch, Kehl, and Greiz clean the water in several stages before returning it to the water system. In doing so, we remain well below the specified limits.
• All three wastewater treatment plants have been modernized and expanded in recent years to break down pollutants even more effectively and counteract water warming caused by climate change.
• We operate hydroelectric power plants, have equipped weirs with fish ladders, and are committed to preserving the natural habitat along the waterways at our company headquarters in Oberkirch through a stream sponsorship program.
• We address the importance of water as a limited resource in all environmental training courses for our employees in order to raise awareness of the need to use water efficiently.
• We focus on rainwater management: we operate rainwater retention basins at all our timber yards, which are used to suppress dust.