Circularity
Efficient use of natural resources
In a circular economy materials, products and services are kept in use for as long as possible at their highest value and waste is limited to a minimum. Using resources efficiently and adopting more circular business models are important ambitions for Alfa Laval and key enablers to deliver on several sustainability targets.
Addressing circularity has become increasingly important. The extraction and processeing of raw materials comes with a significant climate impact. Therefore efforts to become more resource efficient and circular as a business are a key to reach climate targets. In addition, increased circularity has positive impacts on biodiversity, the availability of fresh water and air pollution.
At Alfa Laval we are dedicated to safeguarding the value of natural resources throughout the value chain, and we are continuously working on improving our understanding of the opportunities of a circular economy in the different parts of the value chain. We have chosen to focus on three main areas to promote circularity:
1. Improving process efficiency
Alfa Laval is continuously making efforts to use resources more efficiently in our operations. We have set specific targets for water consumption, energy efficiency, and waste recycling covering our manufacturing sites worldwide.
Water
While Alfa Laval does not use significant amounts of water, we are present in water-stressed areas where even limited water withdrawals can be problematic. Alfa Laval has set a target for 2030 to recycle 100 percent of the water used on sites located in water-stressed areas. In the shorter term, the target for 2023 was to reduce water withdrawn in these areas by 5 percent (baseline 2020) and we achieved this target with a 17 percent reduction at our sites included in the baseline.
Energy
Alfa Laval is continuously working with energy efficiency at all our sites, also as a means to reach our climate targets. Our short-term target for 2023 was to improve energy efficiency – expressed as energy use per direct working hours – by 5 percent compared with a 2020 baseline. This target was achieved with a 16 percent improvement in energy efficiency at sites included in the baseline.
Waste
Alfa Laval’s waste management approach is based on the waste hierarchy, supporting circularity by favouring the prevention and reduction of waste and increasing reuse and recycling. The ambition is to divert as much waste as possible from landfill, aiming to have zero landfill waste by 2030. Our target is also to maintain a high (85 percent or more) level of recycling. In 2023, we managed to recycle 81 percent of waste from operations, and more work is needed to create internal awareness on resource efficiency and appropriate waste management.
2. Extending product life span
Keeping products in use at their highest value for as long as possible is the foundation of circularity. Many Alfa Laval products have a lifespan of over 20 years. By designing products that are easy to maintain, repair, upgrade, and refurbish, in combination with offering service, the lifespan of our products can be extended and resources saved.
Today, service expertise is provided through a global team of nearly 3,000 professionals. They are trained in providing technical support, maintenance, repairs and problem-solving for customers to ensure optimal performance along with continued productivity and product durability.
3. Reuse and recycling
Despite a long lifetime all products will reach an end of life, in some cases since they have been operating for decades and in other cases since newer and more energy efficient equipment motivate a replacement. Product design is important for making the products easy to disassemble, to reuse parts and finally recycled as valuable raw materials. Alfa Laval is continuously looking into business models, partnerships and possibilities to increase the reusability and recycling of our products.
In addition, we are continuously working on sourcing recycled materials. The target for recycled materials is that at least 30 percent of the materials used in products should come from recycled sources. Already now we have data indicating that more than 30 percent of the material used comes from recycled materials. This will allow us to re-assess the target and potentially raise our ambition.
Water initiatives at Alfa Laval Brazil
As the focus on water as a scarce and valuable resource intensifies, companies around the world are increasing their efforts to implement water-saving measures in industrial production. At the Alfa Laval production site in São Paulo, Brazil, 100 percent of the water used operationally is now being reused and zero water is drawn from the public supply following the successful implementation of a series of water-capture and recycling initiatives.
The first of these initiatives was launched in 2008 when a decision was made to return the water used in heat-exchanger hydrotesting to a collection tank for reuse rather than sending it down the drain. This system is a closed loop with only rainwater being added to the tank during the year.
The next step, in 2015, saw the construction of a 128-metre deep well on site, which has cut the annual water bill while further boosting overall water security. Today, no water is drawn from the public supply.
In the on-site service centre, where plates come in for cleaning and maintenance, fresh mains water was previously used to clean the plates following treatment in an acid bath. But in 2021, a water tank was installed to collect the wastewater for treatment and reuse.
Today all the water used for testing and cleaning heat exchangers, high-speed separators and decanters is either immediately re-circulated for reuse or first undergoes a treatment process prior to being recycled and reused. This process can be repeated multiple times.