Global pulp producer Arauco has chosen Veolia, the world leader in water treatment technologies, to develop the water treatment line for the Sucuriú Project. The contract covers the design and implementation of an industrial effluent treatment plant for Arauco’s first pulp mill in Brazil, which will be the largest industrial facility in the world built in a single phase.
Through state-of-the-art systems and solutions, the partnership aims to strengthen environmental security and safeguard water resources for local communities across the region. Drawing on over 50 years of proven expertise in the pulp and paper industry, Veolia will design and implement robust, pre-engineered water regeneration technologies specifically developed for next-generation pulp and paper mills. These solutions deliver high reliability, operational flexibility and proven efficiency while optimizing investment costs, ensuring the regeneration of vital freshwater resources that communities depend on.
The treatment process integrates Veolia’s proven advanced technologies for biological treatment intensification. This approach maximizes treatment capacity in a compact footprint by using the biofilm activated sludge (BAS™) process, which combines a moving bed bioreactor (MBBR) with activated sludge treatment. The system also includes proprietary belt presses for efficient sludge dewatering, optimizing sludge production and final disposal.
The advanced effluent treatment solution will process 10,600 cubic meters per hour, preventing water pollution equivalent to the organic load generated by a municipality of 3 million inhabitants.
Leonardo Crociati, Executive Manager of Implementation for the Sucuriú Project at Arauco, highlights: "The Sucuriú Project is the largest project built in a single phase in the world and represents a historic milestone for Arauco. An undertaking of this magnitude demands partners who share our unwavering commitment to sustainability. Choosing Veolia for our wastewater treatment plant reflects this vision, ensuring we operate under the highest standards of environmental compliance while creating shared value for Mato Grosso do Sul."
Anne Le Guennec, CEO of Veolia’s water technology activities, concluded: “Securing water resources and protecting local ecosystems have become essential to business continuity and sovereignty. This strategic partnership with Arauco exemplifies how our innovative technological solutions enable sustainable industrial production while safeguarding water resources, in perfect alignment with Veolia's GreenUp strategic program. We are proud to support Arauco’s journey toward more efficient and environmentally responsible operations.”