The Andritz Group is committed to promoting environmental protection and the conservation of natural resources.  Andritz AG’s official Declaration of Environmental Protection establishes the principles and objectives of its environmental policy.  The Group also pursues a proactive information policy vis-à-vis the communities in the vicinity of the Group’s production plants, the general public, and government authorities.

Andritz’s manufacturing processes and the products it makes are designed to minimize the consumption of natural resources and energy in order to have minimum impact on the environment.  This approach also reduces production and operating costs to the benefit of Andritz customers.

Uniform environmental protection guidelines are implemented at all Andritz production sites.  Responsible managers within each Andritz facility are empowered to ensure that the guidelines are strictly adhered to.

As a commitment to continuous improvement, each year Andritz AG has the results of its environmental protection activities examined by a commission appointed by the City of Graz.  In 2004, the Andritz site in Graz again received the "ÖKOPROFIT” certificate awarded by the City of Graz for special environmental achievements.  Measures to further reduce energy consumption were continued in 2004, including improved thermal insulation in the workshops and the use of power-saving lighting.  Also, the portion of goods shipped by rail was considerably increased, reducing truck traffic on the surrounding roads.

Andritz products for a cleaner environment

The Pulp and Paper Business Area offers processes, systems, and equipment that reduce waste, save energy, and minimize the environmental impact of its customers’ operations.

Most mills have taken significant actions to reduce the environmental impact if bleaching is a part of their production processes.  Andritz continues to be a technology leader in the development of bleaching processes which utilize alternatives to chlorine for reduced environmental impact.  Andritz systems for dewatering (such as presses and filters) and water recycling (within the fiberline or during the papermaking process) within the mill reduce the effluent loads on nearby receiving waters.

In the chemical recovery area of a pulp mill, systems for black liquor evaporation, combustion, and white liquor production have a significant impact on the emissions from the mill.

Andritz black liquor evaporators produce reusable process water from the black liquor.  The reuse of condensate reduces the COD load in effluent waters and the amount of fresh water required in the pulping/recovery process.  Condensates generated within the black liquor evaporation process are segregated and collected within the Andritz system and methanol found in the condensate is "stripped” from the condensate for further processing.  Andritz also provides methanol liquefaction equipment so that the liquefied methanol can then be used to replace fossil fuel in the lime kiln.

After extensive research and development work, the emissions from a state-of-the-art Andritz recovery boiler are minimal.  For example, the SO₂ emissions are approaching zero when the black liquor is evaporated into high dry solids and a Vertical Air™ system is utilized in the recovery boiler.

Maximum electricity production and minimal greenhouse gas emissions are becoming important considerations for the increasingly energy- and environmentally- conscious pulp industry.  The High Energy Recovery Boiler (HERB) concept, developed by Andritz, offers an effective way to generate electricity from wood-based fuels (black liquor from the cooking process) while reducing emissions.

A new development, the Andritz LMD-Filter™ (special disc filter for separating, washing, and drying lime mud) offers superior washing results.  It lowers the amount of sulphur residuals which enter the lime kiln and should result in lower sulphur emissions into the air.

There is a strong demand in the market to reduce water consumption.  Andritz, as a market leader in large pulp drying machines, has developed machines with closed water loops so water can be reused.  These machines also incorporate sub-systems for collection of spill water and the reuse of cooling water such that the total amount of fresh water required can be reduced to an extremely low 1.5 m³/ton of pulp.  

In terms of true energy conservation, RTS™ mechanical pulping technology produces high quality mechanical pulp at up to 30% lower specific energy consumption.  This results in huge energy savings for paper producers with a major impact on reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.  For an RTS™-TMP system with an annual production of 175,000 tons, energy savings can amount to 70,000 MWh a year.  If an oil-fired power plant is utilized to provide electrical energy for the refiner, the savings are equivalent to 17,000 tons of oil per year.  At the same time, the emissions of CO₂, a major contributor to greenhouse gases worldwide, are reduced by 48,000 tons per year.  Thus, the RTS™-TMP system can make a major contribution to the objectives of the Kyoto protocol.

P-RC™ APMP is a chemi-mechanical pulping process that minimizes energy consumption and the consumption of bleaching chemicals.  The high-consistency peroxide bleaching technology of Andritz (PHC) also minimizes the consumption of bleaching chemicals.  By eliminating chlorine and sulphur-containing chemicals, the bio-degradability of process effluents is significantly improved.

Papermakers have the opportunity to save considerable energy and minimize effluents with the new Andritz FibreSolve™ LC and HC pulpers, as well as the CompaDis™ disperser system.  

In Rolling Mills and Strip Processing Lines, many process materials are used that would be harmful to the environment if they were not properly recycled or disposed of.  Andritz systems are designed to make maximum use of, and to recycle, such materials as rinse waters, rolling emulsions, and pickling acids.  Evaporation is used in some processes to avoid the generation of wastewater.  A process was developed for the complete recycling of the electrolyte (sodium sulphate) used in electrolytic pickling.  In this recycling step, hexavalent chromium (formed during the pickling operation) is completely eliminated.

Sundwig, an Andritz affiliate company, developed, and has continually improved, "no-rinse coaters” over the years.  The application of hexavalent chromium coating to the strip can now be carried out in a closed chemical fluid circuit which prevents contamination of the surrounding environment.

The Environment and Process Business Area supplies complete process lines which convert liquid sewage sludge into a fuel granulate.  With a calorific value of approximately 11 to 13 MJ/t, this granulate can be used as a substitute for fossil fuels in heat and power generation systems, reducing CO₂ emissions.

The Feed Technology Business Area is a leading supplier of equipment for the production of environmentally-friendly, renewable fuels.  Biofuel production is expanding beyond its established base in North America and western Europe to new regions where there are surplus raw materials from forestry and other industries.  Andritz equipment is being utilized to produce biofuel from wood, peat, and other agricultural by-products.  In this way, highly valuable fuels are generated from surplus materials, which would otherwise have to be disposed of.  Andritz also supplies waste pelleting equipment which can offer an environmentally-friendly alternative to landfills.

Hydropower is an essential renewable energy source which does not pollute the environment and produces no waste.  Only 20% of the world’s hydropower potential has been developed so far.  The Hydraulic Machines Business Area has been providing state-of-the-art equipment and comprehensive services to hydropower plants for more than 130 years.