Birla Cellulose, the pulp and fiber division of Aditya Birla Group, said it has evaluated its carbon emissions across all global operations and has declared its viscose manufacturing to be carbon neutral in Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Birla Cellulose said the achievement follows years of work to create energy-efficient processes and use renewable energy, as well as ensuring net positive growth of the forest cover directly managed by the company.
Dilip Gaur, business director of the pulp and fiber business, said Birla Cellulose applies closed-loop processes at its facilities that help it recover natural resources and reduce its GHG impact. The pulp manufacturing units derive between 83 percent and 93 percent of the energy requirements from renewable sources, he noted.
In the company’s GHG Study Report, it found that Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions were below net carbon sequestering at forests directly managed by Birla Cellulose, offsetting Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. The GHG emissions evaluation includes all 12 Birla Cellulose sites, including five pulp plants, in Canada, Sweden and India, and seven fiber plants, located in India, Indonesia, Thailand and China.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Scope 1 GHG emissions are direct emissions such as fossil fuel combustion and fleet fuel consumption. Scope 2 GHG emissions are indirect emissions that result from the generation of electricity, heat or steam.
The evaluation was conducted through the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Initiative standard, and the carbon sequestering was evaluated by the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change guidelines. The GHG evaluation study was validated and assured by Ernst and Young India.
Birla Cellulose said it is planning to further reduce its GHG intensity by implementation of energy efficient technologies, increasing the use of renewable energy, improving energy efficiency of its supply chain and increasing carbon sequestering in collaboration with its strategic partners. This initiative is aligned to the Birla Cellulose business sustainability strategy, India’s commitment at Paris Accord and the Aditya Birla Group initiatives to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.