“A turning point” in Serbia: Smurfit Kappa invests €5M in Belgrade purification and wastewater treatment plant

02 Oct 2023 --- Smurfit Kappa has invested €5 million (US$5.29 million) into building a new state-of-the-art purification and wastewater treatment plant in Belgrade, Serbia, which it says is the first of its kind in the country.

The plant is located on the site of Smurfit Kappa’s Belgrade paper mill, which was acquired in 2019. The plant is part of a series of investments worth €129 million (US$136 million) in Smurfit water treatment facilities throughout Europe and the Americas since 2005. 

The treatment process means purified water can be returned safely to the environment or partially reused in the paper production process, reducing water consumption by up to 90%. 

This innovative treatment also reduces electricity usage and CO2 emissions by up to 80%, claims the company. 

This latest investment underscores Smurfit Kappa’s ongoing commitment to water stewardship and follows recent similar initiatives across its plants in Europe and the Americas. 

Meeting national requirements 
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Ana Brnabić, the Prime Minister of Serbia, said: “Today is an important day for environmental protection in Belgrade and throughout Serbia. This is a day that represents a turning point for the sustainable development of our country.” 

All companies in Serbia have been ordered to introduce wastewater treatment plants by 2025.  

“Smurfit Kappa did this two years ahead of schedule by building the first industrial biological plant. This is an example of how all business people in Serbia should join the policy of sustainable development,” says Brnabić. 

Since 2018, Smurfit Kappa has been a signatory to the UN Global CEO Water Mandate and is also a member of the Cepi Water Issue Group, which looks into water-specific industry issues.

The announcement follows Smurfit Kappa’s recent agreement to merge with WestRock in a tie-up potentially worth US$20 billion. The newly merged company will be called Smurfit Westrock, headquartered in the US and Ireland. 

A Rabobank analyst recently told Packaging Insights that the deal could propel packaging industry circularity worldwide, as the combined experience of each company will accelerate the adoption of advanced recycling systems.

Edited by Louis Gore-Langton