Water and effluents are a material topic for Bracell encompassing strategies, policies and programs to preserve water and watersheds, reduce water consumption, increase reuse, avoid water-related conflicts, impacts on water availability and/or shortages (whether in our forestry or mill operations), and manage wastewater.

In 2023, Bracell announced its set of long-term sustainability targets and commitments titled “Bracell 2030”, which includes specific Delivering Sustainable Growth target:

47% reduction in water consumption per ton of product

Water and effluents are managed within a Water Resource Monitoring Program that is governed by requirements in our Sustainability Policy. Through this program, we implement measures to monitor and continuously improve water resource efficiency.

Membership of watershed committees

We are active members of watershed committees the regions where we operate, where we discuss ways to use water resources more sustainably. We are currently members of the:

• North Recôncavo and Inhambupe Watershed Committee (Bahia);
• Paranapanema Watershed Committee (CGBH-RL);
• São Paulo State Watershed Modeling and Monitoring Program (PROMAB), run by the Forest Research Institute (IPEF);
• PROMAB, a 25-year monitoring program in Bahia.

We also implement initiatives in partnership with stakeholders, especially local communities and suppliers, to preserve and restore headwater areas and improve water resource efficiency.

Bracell operates mills in the Camaçari Industrial Park in Bahia and the Lençóis Paulista Industrial Park in São Paulo. The forestry operations supplying pulpwood to our mills are located in the states of São Paulo, Bahia and Sergipe. Water withdrawals are measured and potential risks and impacts are monitored within Bracell’s Integrated Management System, in accordance with applicable regulations (learn more in GRI 3-3 Management of the material topic Water and effluents and GRI 303).

Operations in São Paulo

• Effluents from our production process are monitored for compliance with the discharge standards issued by the Brazilian Environmental Council (Conama 430/2011), State Decree no. 8,468/1976 and other environmental regulators.
• To ensure compliance with applicable requirements, in our São Paulo operations we have classified recipient water bodies to ensure water discharges are within specifications under our discharge permits from the Department of Water and Electrical Energy (DAEE).
• Bracell is the first company in the pulp industry in São Paulo to implement three-stage effluent treatment: water is sourced from the Tietê River, from an intake located 22 km from our Lençóis Paulista (SP) mill, and is then returned into the same river.
• After it is used in the production process, wastewater flows through a three-stage treatment system. The first stage removes fibers, the second treats organic matter and the third filters the effluent before it returns to the Tietê River.
• Bracell is one of the only companies to use tertiary treatment. Approximately 95% of water withdrawals are returned to the Tietê River as treated effluent.

Operations in Bahia

• To ensure our water discharges meet quality requirements in our Bahia operations, we regularly monitor physical, chemical and biological parameters, including chemical oxygen demand (COD). This indicator is used to evaluate the performance of our wastewater treatment system, which comprises an on-site treatment plant at our Camaçari mill (settling or primary treatment) and another treatment plant operated by Cetrel, a company c0-located in the Camaçari Industrial Park that is responsible for secondary treatment (activated sludge) of Bracell’s effluents.
• Continuous monitoring of our industrial wastewater ensures our dissolving pulp production process is eco-efficient. We also use indirect methods to measure the quality of our chemical recovery system, loss of fibers from the mill process, and solid retention efficiency in the on-site primary treatment system.
• Our wastewater treatment system processes two primary wastewater streams:
  • a) Organic effluents: wastewater from the mill and stormwater system containing varying amounts of byproducts from the production process. This accounts for the bulk of the effluents generated at the mill. Organic effluents are pumped to the on-site primary treatment system and then to the Cetrel-operated secondary treatment system;
  • b) Inorganic effluents: also referred to as non-contaminated wastewater, this stream is generated by the site’s stormwater system and other non-contaminated sources, such as flush water from cooling towers and heat exchangers.
• Both streams are monitored in accordance with Inema Ordinance 16,507/2018. The specifications for water discharges depend on the recipient water body as outlined in the relevant federal regulations (Conama Resolution 357) and requirements issued by the state environmental authority, Inema.
• Effluents are collected and pumped to a wastewater treatment system comprising a preliminary treatment stage (screening and pH adjustment) and primary treatment (conventional settling and sludge removal).
  • This process mechanically removes settable solids—essentially cellulose fibers extracted in the form of primary sludge.
  • Following on-site treatment, the organic effluent is pumped to the Cetrel plant. Following secondary treatment, the treated effluent is discharged into the ocean via a submarine outfall.
• Effluents from seedling nurseries are monitored to avoid alterations in soil quality.
• Wastewater from the washing station at our workshop in Alagoinhas (BA) is monitored to avoid alterations in the quality of the recipient water body, the Fonte dos Padres River.

Bracell continuously addresses climate zoning studies, based on the analysis of historical climate data such as precipitation indexes, temperature and latitude. Data analysis also identifies the most suitable areas for planting eucalyptus and also support technical recommendations  such as clone allocation and fertilization use.

Withdrawal
Surface water (m³)
Operation	2021	2022 (1)	2023
Bahia	29,456.00	4,811.00	64,927.00
São Paulo	13,275,929.24	48,436,589.17	52,474,268.60
Bracell	13,305,385.24	48,441,400.17	52,539,195.60
Groundwater (m³)
Operation	2021	2022	2023
Bahia	15,431,917.30	15,997,357.83	16,613,292.62
São Paulo	7,466,921.06	6,925,779.91	4,898,803.24
Bracell	22,898,838.36	22,923,137.74	21,512,095.86
Total water withdrawal (m³)
Operation	2021	2022	2023
Bahia	15,461,373.30	16,002,168.83	16,678,219.87
São Paulo	20,742,850.30	55,362,369.08	57,373,071.84
Bracell	36,204,223.60	71,364,537.91	74,051,291.71

Notes about the 2023 data:

1. Surface water withdrawal volumes in our Forestry operations in São Paulo (457,789.24 m3) include withdrawals from 248 points under permits for use in forestry management.
2. Includes withdrawals from a well at the Lençóis Paulista (SP) site, used for irrigating seedlings at an on-site nursery (555,240.00 m3), and water withdrawals for human consumption (1,117.06 m3).
3. All water withdrawals described for our forestry operations were measured directly at surface withdrawal points. Withdrawal volumes are recorded in an internal database that is managed in accordance with applicable regulations, covering all operational fronts.
4. In Bahia, Bracell has 37 surface withdrawal points covered by permits awarded by the relevant environmental authority. These points are distributed along six different rivers throughout our forestry operations: Pojuca, Subaúma, Itariri, Inhambupe, Sauípe and Imbassaí. Withdrawal points are periodically monitored in accordance with license requirements. The environmental monitoring network in our forestry operations comprises 24 stations for monitoring surface (river) water quality, 8 stations for monitoring groundwater quality (artesian wells), 13 fixed stations for analyzing water potability (fitness for human consumption), 5 mobile stations for analyzing water potability (fitness for human consumption) at operations fronts, 37 flow metering stations at permitted surface water withdrawal points along rivers, 2 stations at locations where effluents are discharged from seedling nurseries, 1 station where effluents are discharged from a water and oil separator, and 15 stations where effluents are discharged from septic tanks.
5. In our operations in Bahia, our total water consumption/withdrawals of 16,678,219.87 m³ include 939,389.25 m³ consumed in forestry operations.
6. For additional data on withdrawals, consumption and discharge, see GRI 304.

Discharge
Surface water (m³)
Operation	2021	2022	2023
Bahia	312,809.04	366,035.94	97,614.84
São Paulo	15,745,505.07	51,451,819.67	49,309,676.20
Bracell	16,058,314.11	51,817,855.61	49,407,291.04
Groundwater (m³)
Operation	2021	2022	2023
Bahia	0	0	0
São Paulo	0	0	0
Bracell	0	0	0
Seawater (m³)
Operation	2021	2022	2023
Bahia	12,209,740.00	12,601,858.08	13,313,281.40
São Paulo	0	0	0
Bracell	12,209,740.00	12,601,858.08	13,313,281.40
Municipal outfall (m³)
Operation	2021	2022	2023
Bahia	0	0	0
São Paulo	0	0	0
Bracell	0	0	0
Total water withdrawal (m³)
Operation	2021	2022	2023
Bahia	12,522,540.00	12,755,009.04	13,410,896.24
São Paulo	15,745,505.07	51,451,819.67	49,309,676.20
Bracell	28,268,045.07	64,206,828.71	62,720,572.44

Note: in our mill operations in Bahia, only one effluent stream is discharged into the river, namely inorganic effluent or stormwater, which is directed to the CETREL inorganic effluent flume, where it is mixed with other inorganic effluents from the Industrial Park before being discharged into the river.

Consumption
Total water consumption (m³)
Operation	2021	2022	2023
Bahia	3,251,633.3	3,400,310.8	3,364,938.47
São Paulo	4,997,345.2	3,910,549.4	8,063,395.64
Bracell	8,248,978.5	7,310,860.2	11,428,334.11

Note: Water consumption is calculated as the difference between water withdrawals and water discharge.