Circularity
Preserving value through circularity
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 key enablers to deliver on climate targets and other sustainability objectives.
Alfa Laval acknowledges the importance of circularity as a foundation for addressing the environmental impacts of business. Efficient resource use in Alfa Laval operations reduces water withdrawals, energy use and waste. In the upstream value chain, sourcing recycled materials reduces the product footprint, and downstream circular business models and service offerings contribute to more sustainable use of products. In addition, increasing circularity is important for biodiversity and freshwater availability.
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
2 Extending product life span
3 Reuse and recycling
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 withdrawals, energy efficiency, and waste recycling covering our major 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 In the shorter term, the annual target is to reduce water withdrawn in these areas by 5 percent year-on-year, and for 2024 we achieved this target with an 8 percent reduction from 2023.
Energy
Alfa Laval is continuously working with energy efficiency at all sites, also as a means to reach our climate targets. Our target until 2030 is to improve energy efficiency – expressed as energy use per direct working hours – by 5 percent annually. This target was not quite achieved in 2024 showing a 4 percent improvement in energy efficiency compared to 2023.
Waste
Alfa Laval’s waste management approach is based on the waste hierarchy, supporting circularity by favoring 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. The target is also to achieve a high (85 percent or more) level of recycling. In recent years we have not been able to reach this target, and for 2024 we managed to recycle 82 percent of waste from operations.
2 Extending product life span
Keeping products in use at their highest value for as long as possible is the foundation of circularity. Most Alfa Laval products are designed for durability with a lifespan of 20 years or more, and in many cases up to 40 years. Spare parts are typically supplied at least 10 years after the product is no longer for sale.
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. Several products are also designed to be modular, allowing replacement of components and parts. These products are often easy to disassemble, which allows for efficient recycling at end of life.
3 Reuse and recycling
Despite a long lifetime all products will reach an end of life when they no longer function as expected or it makes sense to replace them with newer and more energy efficient equipment. Alfa Laval is continuously looking into ways of increasing the reusability and recycling of our products, and we have recently improved the possibilities for customers to recycle Alfa Laval products through a partnership with an external provider.
In line with our circularity strategy, we are also working on sourcing recycled materials to reduce the environmental footprint of Alfa Laval products put on the market. The ambition is that at least 30 percent of the materials used in products should come from recycled sources, and many Alfa Laval products are already above this target level.
Improving product
circularity
In 2024, Alfa Laval signed an agreement with leading stainless-steel recycler ELG-Aperam, which will further increase the circularity of our product portfolio.
The initial agreement with ELG-Aperam – signed in February 2024 – gave customers the option of recycling older high-speed separators and decanters when purchasing replacements. In July 2024, the arrangement was extended to include heat exchangers and freshwater generators as well. The cooperation has started in Europe with plans to expand into more regions globally in the near future.
Alfa Laval has a similar agreement with Stena Recycling in the Nordic markets since 2023, which enables the recycling of metals from heat exchangers, disc-stack centrifuges and decanter separators at their end of life.