In 2024, we carried out engagement and relationship-building activities with communities in 115 municipalities in the state of São Paulo, 14 in Minas Gerais, 2 in Goiás, and 2 in Paraná. In the Northeast, our initiatives reached 42 municipalities—39 in Bahia and three in Sergipe—including towns such as Acajutiba, Alagoinhas, Camaçari, Feira de Santana, Pojuca, and Rio Real in Bahia, and Cristinápolis, Santa Luzia do Itanhy, and Indiaroba in Sergipe.

In the Midwest, Southeast, and South, operational impacts identified included noise pollution around our industrial sites and, in forestry operations, excessive dust, road damage or blockages, speeding, chemical drift, and property damage—all of which were mitigated. In the Northeast, the main issues involved damage to neighboring properties in areas where we operate in Bahia.

Our preventive efforts helped reduce the number of incidents of operational impacts, which dropped from 71 in 2023 to 60 in 2024.

However, the number of complaints filed in São Paulo increased from 117 in 2023 to 363 in 2024. This increase was due to the expansion of forestry operations, which led to more complaints related to third-party property damage, dust from truck traffic, road maintenance issues, service road damage, and speeding. Complaints related to fence maintenance decreased. The rise in reported cases was also influenced by our efforts to advertise reporting channels and by the stronger relationships we have built with local communities.

Industrial and forestry operations (São Paulo)

Complaints	2022	2023	2024
Damage to third-party property	33	41	88
Airborne dust caused by trucks and machinery	51	37	101
Road maintenance	0	63	113
Road damage	0	0	28
Maintenance of roads, bridges and culverts	36	0	0
Speeding	19	0	26
Fence maintenance	0	27	6
Total	139	168	362
Total mill and forestry	141	171	363

 

Mill and forestry operations (Bahia)

Complaints	2022	2023	2024
Property damage	8	12	14
Roads	8	14	6
Dust (forestry operations only)	12	8	2
Contractors (complaints from contractors directed to their contracting companies)	11	14	18
Dangerous driving	12	11	9
Noise	1	2	0
Other	6	16	11
Total – forestry and mill operations	58	77	60

Our approach to procurement and supplier management follows corporate policies and internal procedures within our Integrated Management System, which governs social (occupational health, workplace safety, labor rights, child and adolescent rights, Diversity & Inclusion, human rights, social risks and impacts) matters.

Social criteria are evaluated as part of our approach to managing contractors working directly in our facilities. Through our Contract Management System, we review and monitor contractor documentation demonstrating compliance with legal requirements, including clauses from collective bargaining agreements, mandatory technical and operational training, occupational health criteria, and operating licenses. This applies to all suppliers, including new suppliers.

Processes involved in supplier management:

• Third-party due diligence: before formal engagement, all suppliers undergo due diligence screening. This process is conducted in accordance with Bracell’s policies on Third-Party Due Diligence, Supplier Qualification and Evaluation, Sustainability, and Human Rights.
• Environmental compliance validation: as part of the onboarding and screening process, suppliers acknowledge and agree to follow Bracell’s Procurement Code of Ethics. In our operations, suppliers are evaluated regarding their management of environmental risks and impacts.
• Social compliance validation: social requirements and risks are assessed as part of our approach to managing contractors operating directly at our facilities. The contractor management process includes verifying compliance with labor rights such as compensation, collective bargaining agreements, training, occupational health and safety, among other mandatory requirements for managing social risks. This is done through the Contract Management System, where contractual documents are stored and compliance with legal requirements is verified.
• Supplier evaluation and qualification: we assess suppliers’ capability to deliver products and services in accordance with legal, certification, and technical standards.
• Audits: we perform audits on all operations employing contractors.

Since December 2024, we have used the Linkana platform to enhance supplier screening and monitoring on environmental management criteria, impact prevention, and fulfillment of commitments to sustainable practices. These assessments cover compliance with national and international environmental standards, public data from the Federal Revenue Service, clearance certificates, block lists, and sustainability indexes. After data validation, a confidence score informs risk recommendations and directs the process toward automatic or manual approval workflows.

In 2024, no suppliers were identified as responsible or potentially responsible for negative social impacts.

We actively monitor social risks involving contractors working directly in our operations. In 2024, no suppliers were identified as responsible or potentially responsible for negative social impacts.

Bracell’s Greenhouse Gas Inventories follow guidance provided in the latest edition of ISO 14064, the GHG Protocol, and the quantification methodologies published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Inventories are conducted at the corporate level, covering our pulp mills in São Paulo and Bahia, as well as forestry operations in those two states and Mato Grosso do Sul.

In 2024, Bracell’s Scope 1 fossil emissions accounted for 43% of total emissions and amounted to 731,362.80 tCO₂e, a 21.9% increase compared to the previous year. This increase was primarily driven by higher fossil fuel use in our logistics operations, especially due to longer transport distances between plantation areas and the mill, along with a significant rise in forest fire incidents.

The gases included in the Scope 1 emissions calculation are: CO₂, CH₄, N₂O, HFCs and SF₆.

Bracell reports biogenic CO_₂ emissions associated with forestry and mill operations. These emissions include biomass combustion, the use of renewable biofuels in the logistics fleet, fire events, and the natural dynamics of eucalyptus forest management cycles. Unlike fossil-based emissions, biogenic emissions are generally considered carbon neutral over the long term, since they come from renewable biomass that absorbs CO₂ from the atmosphere during its growth.

Emissions (tCO2e)	2022	2023	2024
Scope 1	614,673.00	597,454.00	731,362.80
Scope 1 – Biogenic	10,415,840.85	10,810,512.98	9,156,105.51

Note: The Scope 1 biogenic emissions above include stationary combustion (biomass), mobile combustion, agricultural activities, and land-use change.

Bracell’s Greenhouse Gas Inventories follow guidance provided in the latest edition of ISO 14064, the GHG Protocol, and the quantification methodologies published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Inventories are conducted at the corporate level, covering our pulp mills in São Paulo and Bahia, as well as forestry operations in those two states and Mato Grosso do Sul.

The material topic of climate change is addressed through policies, action plans, targets, and ongoing monitoring of the outcomes of our climate initiatives. We are working to advance a low-carbon economy that is adapted to a scenario of higher average global temperatures.

The Bracell 2030 agenda establishes commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as part of the strategic lever “Climate Action.”

The table below presents our 2024 performance:

Pillar  strategic	Target 2030	Baseline 2020	Target 2030	Target 2024	2024 Performance	SDGs Addressed
CLIMATE ACTION	Reduce carbon emissions per metric ton of product by 75%, targeting 0.122 tCO2e/adt	0,482 tCO2e/adt	0.122 tCO2e/adt	0.151 tCO2e/adt	0.208 tCO2e/adt	13, 14, 15
	25 MtCO2e removed from the atmosphere between 2020 and 2030	Net carbon removals = fossil GHG emissions + biogenic LULUCF emissions – removals total CO2 removals from eucalyptus plantations and native vegetation areas	25 MtCO2e	22.19 MtCO2e	4.30MtCO2e	13, 14, 15

Note: Bracell’s carbon intensity target (tCO_₂e/adt of production) covers both kraft pulp and dissolving pulp production. The 2020 baseline was calculated by directly summing the physical volumes of both products, without applying a conversion factor.

Starting in 2022, with the launch of dissolving pulp production at our São Paulo site, a conversion factor was applied to express dissolving production in kraft equivalent. This adjustment better reflects actual emissions intensity in our mills, as it accounts for differences in product types and their respective energy use and emissions.

As part of the Bracell 2030 roadmap, we have set two commitments tied to the material topic Climate Change. Our climate goals were developed based on an analysis of the risks and impacts – both positive and negative – Bracell’s operations have on climate change. Our operations emit greenhouse gases (GHG) and also capture CO₂ from the atmosphere by growing and preserving forest areas managed by Bracell, including planted eucalyptus forests and native forests.

By 2030, we have committed to reducing our carbon emissions per metric ton of product by 75% from a 2020 baseline. This means reaching 0.122 tCO_₂e/adt. In addition, we will remove 25 MtCO₂e from the atmosphere over the course of a decade—from 2020 to 2030.

For 2024, our interim targets were to close the year with 0.151 tCO₂e/adt and 22.19 MtCO₂e in removals. Measured results are detailed below:

Target 1: reduce carbon emissions per metric ton of product by 75%, targeting 0.122 tCO₂e/adt

From 2020 to 2024, we reduced carbon emissions per metric ton of product by 61%, reaching 0.208 tCO₂e/adt.

Although we achieved a 63% reduction in our emissions intensity over that period, a number of factors prevented us from meeting our 2024 target. The main negative impacts on emissions reduction came from increased mobile combustion in our operations and a higher occurrence of wildfires. On the positive side, we achieved significant operational gains this year, such as reducing natural gas consumption and expanding the use of biomass in our gasifiers. These initiatives helped reduce emissions from stationary combustion—our largest Scope 1 emissions category—and put us on track to meet our long-term targets.

We are also implementing several initiatives to mitigate climate-change impacts and keep moving forward on decarbonizing our operations. Examples include investments in electric trucks for pulp transport, currently in the trial phase, and in generating and sourcing renewable energy, as detailed in the Energy Efficiency chapter.

Target 2: 25 MtCO2e removed from the atmosphere between 2020 and 2030

From 2020 to 2024, we removed 4,229,568 tCO₂e. This figure reflects the carbon balance of our operations, i.e. the difference between total removals and emissions (both anthropogenic and LULUCF biogenic).

In 2024, we faced the most challenging hydrological scenario of the past five years in the state of São Paulo. The extreme conditions were primarily caused by rising temperatures and a significant decrease in rainfall. Water deficits directly impact forest yields: the greater the deficit, the slower the eucalyptus forest growth, which in turn reduces their ability to remove CO_₂ from the atmosphere during the growth process.

Additionally, the adverse climate conditions significantly increased the occurrence of forest fires.

As a result of these extreme weather events, we reached only 19% of our CO_₂ removal target for 2024.

Bracell has developed a range of initiatives to mitigate these impacts and increase the resilience of our operations to climate change. Key initiatives include monitoring carbon and water flux in eucalyptus plantations; investing in forest research and development (R&D); integrated climate-related risk and impact management; and conducting climate zoning studies. Learn more in Monitoring Carbon and Water Flux in Eucalyptus Plantations and Climate Zoning Study.

Nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx), particulate matter (PM), and total reduced sulfur (TRS) compounds are among the most critical air pollutants due to their direct and indirect impacts on climate and human health. These pollutants are mainly produced by fossil fuel combustion and industrial processes.

Reducing these emissions is essential to protect human health, improve air quality, and mitigate environmental impacts, as they are linked to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and contribute to acid rain and secondary pollution. Reducing these pollutants also supports the protection of sensitive ecosystems.

In 2024, Bracell’s emissions remained within the limits established by Brazilian environmental regulations.

Nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx), and other significant air emissions

Substance	Site	Bahia Pulp			São Paulo Pulp			Bracell
		20221	2023	2024	20221	2023	2024	20221	2023	2024
NOx	t	NA	451.93	448.42	NA	2,847.74	3,131.48	NA	3299.64	3,579.90
SOx	t	NA	30.47	39.65	NA	139.89	59.05	NA	170.36	98.70
PM	t	NA	197.30	199.99	NA	643.26	473.22	NA	840.56	673.21
TRS1	t	NA	2.70	12.57	59.14	43.04	30.93	59.14	45.74	43.5

1. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are not measured in air emissions reporting.
2. The data include disclosures as part of the EU Ecolabel and Nordic Swan schemes for kraft pulp.

We have set a target to ensure that our mills are self-sufficient in energy generation. To the extent possible, we use electricity from the national grid only during scheduled maintenance shutdowns. In these cases, we source electricity from the national grid.

Brazil’s energy mix is an important advantage for Bracell’s operations, with a high share of renewable sources such as hydro, wind, and solar. This improves operations efficiency and reflects our commitment to sustainable practices. Although variability in energy supply can affect availability and cost during dry periods, a diversified mix of predominantly renewable sources helps mitigate these impacts and ensure stable and sustainable operations.

	Bahia	São Paulo	Southeast paper operations¹	Northeast paper operations
Total energy consumption (GJ)²	17,706,299.98	177,670,455.60	380,731.13	543,413.07
Percentage grid electricity	3.04	0.18	0.00	31.80
Percentage biomass³	77.15	36.46	0.00	35.36

1. Our Southeast paper operations use electricity generated as part of the pulp production process. As a result, this site does not purchase energy from external sources.
2. Energy consumed = energy generated + energy purchased – energy sold.
3. Both black liquor and biomass were included in the “Percentage biomass” metric.

The reported water withdrawal volume for our São Paulo pulp and Southeast paper operations includes only the pulp mill’s primary sources: six licensed groundwater wells and one surface water intake on the Tietê River.

Bracell Papéis was established in 2023 and is reporting its environmental performance for the first time, with data from 2024. Bracell Papéis Sudeste does not operate any direct water withdrawal points (surface or groundwater); instead, it uses water sourced through the Bracell Pulp production site.

The water withdrawal volume for the Papéis Nordeste operation refers to our mills in Feira de Santana (BA). At the São Gonçalo dos Campos (BA) and Pombos (PE) sites, there are no water withdrawals as these facilities use dry processing.

Surface water withdrawals (m³)

Operation	2020			2021			2022			2023			2024
	Forestry	Mill	Total	Forestry	Mill	Total	Forestry	Mill	Total	Forestry	Mill	Total	Forestry	Mill	Total
Bahia Pulp	2,198	0	2,198	29,456	0	29,456	4,811	0	4,811	64,927	0	64,927	25,351	0	25,351
São Paulo Pulp	309,165	0	309,165	328,484	12,947,445	13,275,929	314,537	49,223,892	49,538,429	457,789	52,016,479	52,474,269	550,327	49,972,528	50,522,855
Southeast Paper Operations	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	1,144,604	1,144,604
Northeast Paper Operations	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	0	0
Bracell	311,363	0	311,363	357,940	12,947,445	13,305,385	319,348	49,223,892	49,543,240	522,716	52,016,479	52,539,196	575,678	51,117,132	51,692,810

 

Surface water withdrawals (m³)

Operation	2020			2021			2022			2023			2024
	Forestry	Mill	Total	Forestry	Mill	Total	Forestry	Mill	Total	Forestry	Mill	Total	Forestry	Mill	Total
Bahia Pulp	889,754	14,720,841	15,610,595	872,245	14,559,672	15,431,917	851,887	15,145,471	15,997,358	874,462	15,738,831	16,613,293	827,071	15,681,068	16,508,139
São Paulo Pulp	282,428	6,831,882	7,114,310	395,258	7,071,663	7,466,921	405,286	6,520,494	6,925,780	556,641	4,342,162	4,898,803	486,285	4,231,181	4,717,466
Southeast Paper Operations	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	0	0
Northeast Paper Operations	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	214,184	214,184
Bracell	889,754	14,720,841	22,724,905	1,267,503	21,631,336	22,898,838	1,257,173	21,665,965	22,923,138	1,431,103	20,080,993	21,512,096	1,313,356	20,126,433	21,439,789

 

Total water withdrawal (m³)

Operation	2020			2021			2022			2023			2024
	Forestry	Mill	Total	Forestry	Mill	Total	Forestry	Mill	Total	Forestry	Mill	Total	Forestry	Mill	Total
Bahia Pulp	891,952	14,720,841	15,612,793	901,701	14,559,672	15,461,373	856,698	15,145,471	16,002,169	939,389	15,738,831	16,678,220	852,422	15,681,068	16,533,490
São Paulo Pulp	591,593	6,831,882	7,423,475	723,742	20,019,108	20,742,850	719,823	55,744,386	56,464,209	1,014,430	56,358,642	57,373,072	1,036,612	54,203,709	55,240,321
Southeast Paper Operations	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	1,144,604	1,144,604
Northeast Paper Operations	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	214,184	214,184
Bracell	1,483,545	21,552,723	23,036,268	1,625,443	34,578,781	36,204,224	1,576,521	70,889,856	72,466,377	1,953,819	72,097,472	74,051,291	1,889,034	71,243,565	73,132,599

Note 1: Bracell Papéis was established in 2023 and is reporting its environmental performance for the first time, with data from 2024. Bracell Papéis Sudeste does not operate any direct water withdrawal points (surface or groundwater); instead, it uses water sourced through the Bracell pulp mill in Lençóis Paulista (SP).

Note 2: the reported water withdrawal volume for the São Paulo Celulose and Papéis Sudeste operations includes only the pulp mill’s primary sources: six licensed groundwater wells and one surface water intake on the Tietê River.

Note 3: the water withdrawal volume for the Papéis Nordeste operation refers to the mill in Feira de Santana (BA). At the São Gonçalo dos Campos (BA) and Pombos (PE) sites, there are no water withdrawals as these facilities use dry processing.

Note 4: the reported water withdrawal volume for forestry operations includes licensed withdrawal points in the states of Minas Gerais, Paraná, and São Paulo. All withdrawal points are monitored and managed by the Environmental Department of Bracell’s São Paulo forestry operations. Learn more about our forestry water management practices under GRI 3-3 Management of the material topic: Water and effluents.

Bracell operates pulp production facilities in the Camaçari Industrial Park (Bahia) and the Lençóis Paulista Industrial Park(São Paulo), along with Tissue manufacturing facilities in Lençóis Paulista (SP), Pombos (PE), Feira de Santana (BA), and São Gonçalo dos Campos (BA). Our pulp business also includes forestry operations—from planting through harvesting—in the states of Bahia, São Paulo, and Sergipe

Water and effluent management is a material topic for Bracell. Our management practices include clearly defined reduction targets for water use in pulp production, as well as policies and initiatives to protect water resources and preserve regional watersheds. We have set targets to improve operational water efficiency, mitigate water availability risks and impacts, and optimize effluent management practices.

We monitor and control water withdrawal, discharge, and consumption across both our mill and forestry operations. Our Integrated Management System comprises corporate policies, standard operating procedures, and risk, aspect and impact matrixes. These policies and procedures comply with the requirements of ISO 14001, ISO 9001, Forestry Certification Endorsement Program (PEFC) certification requirements, applicable Brazilian legislation, regulatory standards and international sustainability management protocols.

The Environmental and Certification teams in our forestry and mill operations manage our Integrated Management System. These teams report annually to their respective General Operations Managers on continuous improvement in environmental performance and certification compliance.

As part of Bracell 2030, our sustainability roadmap, we have set a target for improving water efficiency in our mill processes. By 2030, we aim to achieve a 40% reduction in water intensity per metric ton of pulp produced, reaching 16.6 m³/adt. In 2024, our water intensity stood at 19.2 m³/adt, in line with our target for the year.

In our forestry operations, eucalyptus planting is informed by a climate zoning study conducted by our Forest R&D team. This study analyzes historical climate data such as precipitation, temperature, and latitude. Based on collected data, land with greater water availability may be recommended (read more about our management approach in Climate Action).

We are actively engaged in reducing the use of harmful chemicals and inorganic fertilizers in our forestry operations, which can contaminate soil and water resources. In line with international conventions, including lthe Stockholm and Rotterdam Conventions, we are phasing out sulfluramid and exploring safer alternatives for managing leaf-cutting ants. Our teams participate in collaborative research programs and conduct in-house testing to identify safer substitutes.

To further reduce synthetic fertilizer use, Bracell is exploring the application of organomineral fertilizers produced from organic waste generated by our own facilities. A composting plant feasibility study is currently underway. We have also begun producing potassium sulfate from an effluent stream in our pulp production process, reducing our reliance on imported potassium chloride.

List of chemicals used

Category	Active ingredient
Fungicide	Azoxystrobin + Difenoconazole
Fungicide	Mancozeb + Azoxystrobin
Fungicide	Metconazole
Fungicide	Pyraclostrobin
Fungicide	Tebuconazole + Trifloxystrobin
Herbicide	Flumioxazin
Herbicide	Fluroxypyr + Triclopyr
Herbicide	Glyphosate
Herbicide	Haloxyfop
Herbicide	Haloxyfop + Clethodim
Herbicide	Indaziflam
Herbicide	Isoxaflutole
Herbicide	Oxyfluorfen
Herbicide	Saflufenacil
Herbicide	Sulfentrazone
Herbicide	Triclopyr
Insecticide	Acetamiprid + Bifenthrin
Insecticide	Alpha-cypermethrin
Insecticide	Bifenthrin
Insecticide	Deltamethrin
Insecticide	Fipronil
Insecticide	Imidacloprid
Insecticide	Isocycloseram
Insecticide	Sulfluramid
Insecticide	Thiamethoxam

Water withdrawal management

At our mill in the Camaçari Industrial Park (Bahia), water is withdrawn from 11 groundwater wells located near the plant within the Recôncavo Norte Watershed. These withdrawals are made under a permit from the Bahia State Environmental Agency (Inema). We also withdraw groundwater at our Bracell Papéis plant in the Northeast, in Feira de Santana, via 14 deep cased wells operating under a permit issued by Inema. The wells are continuously monitored for flow rate, water table levels, and Hydro accordance with regulations.

At our Lençóis Paulista (São Paulo) site, water is sourced from six deep cased wells and surface water drawn from the Tietê River, at an intake 22 km from the mill. The site also has a system to collect rainwater. We additionally operate groundwater withdrawal systems at two nurseries in São Paulo: one in Lençóis Paulista and another in Avaí.

Our forestry operations, which supply raw material to both the Camaçari and Lençóis Paulista mills, similarly withdraw both surface and groundwater. Across all operations, our water withdrawal points are distributed as follows: 37 in Bahia, 251 in São Paulo, 14 in Minas Gerais, and 2 in Paraná. All withdrawals are made under permits issued by the respective environmental authorities. Withdrawal points are periodically monitored in accordance with license requirements (learn more under GRI 303-3 Water withdrawal).

In Bahia, we withdraw surface water from six major rivers: Pojuca, Subaúma, Itariri, Inhambupe, Sauípe and Imbassaí. In São Paulo, withdrawals are made from nine designated Water Resource Management Units (UGRHIs): Aguapeí, Peixe, Upper Paranapanema, Middle Paranapanema, Pontal do Paranapanema, Tietê Batalha, Tietê Jacaré, Tietê Sorocaba, and Piracicaba/Capivari/Jundiaí. In Minas Gerais, our water sources include Ribeirão da Onça, Ribeirão Jacurutu and its tributaries, Rio do Peixe, Córrego Sobrado, and Rio Jequitaí. In Paraná, water is withdrawn from Ribeirão Jundiaí.

We evaluate potential impacts on water resources using an impact matrix that accounts for the scale and intensity of forestry activities. Based on this analysis, we implement preventive and mitigation measures as needed. Regular water quality assessments are conducted to evaluate the effects of our forestry operations. As of 2024, the results indicate no adverse impacts.

Water Resources Monitoring Program

Our Water Resource Monitoring Plan tracks withdrawal volumes to ensure compliance with permit requirements and licensing covenants issued by environmental authorities.

Water management in the Camaçari Industrial Park is overseen by an independent firm that monitors both water availability and quality. The park’s Water Resources Management Plan includes risk assessments and action plans for 100% of tenants (read more about effluent management under GRI 303-4 Water discharge).

Bracell protects natural watercourses with vegetated buffer zones. We use official data from the Rural Environmental Register (CAR) to georeference information about the farms we manage. In our geographic information system, we intersect this data with other data sets, such as those compiled in our protected areas and buffer zones. This informs our operational procedures on each property, depending on the constraints and conditions set in management plans (read more in Sustainable Landscapes and Biodiversity).

Consumption management

Our facilities use partially closed-loop water systems that support water recycling throughout the production process, minimizing freshwater withdrawals. At our new Tissue facility in Lençóis Paulista (SP), water used in manufacturing is extracted directly from the pulp, purified within the process, and then reused. This reduces water intake and enhances overall water efficiency.

At Bracell Papéis Nordeste, in Feira de Santana (BA), wastewater is recovered after treatment and returned to the process, further reducing fresh water consumption. This facility is designed as a fully closed loop, with 100% of process water recycled (read more about the sustainability attributes of our operations under GRI 2-6 About Bracell).

In our nurseries, water is primarily used for seedling irrigation. At our nursery located in Bahia, we also maintain eucalyptus plantation areas. Excess irrigation water is directed to drainage systems, infiltrating the soil in the eucalyptus stands. In our forestry operations, water serves various purposes, including seedling watering, preparation of chemical treatment mixtures, firefighting, dust suppression and maintenance of service roads, and equipment cleaning.

In Bahia, Bracell collaborates with public agencies and local communities to help ensure water availability. Monitoring is conducted by an independent firm based in the Camaçari industrial park, which identifies potential risks and implements corrective action (see GRI 303-2 Management of water discharge related impacts for additional information).

To ensure responsible and compliant water consumption we conduct regular environmental monitoring across our forestry and mill sites in São Paulo and Bahia. This monitoring is performed by laboratories accredited under NBR ISO/IEC 17025 and includes assessments of both groundwater and surface water quality, as well as potability testing for human consumption, ensuring compliance with applicable regulations.

Effluent management and discharge

Our pulp production facilities are certified to ISO 14001:2015, which ensures water consumption and discharge points are systematically managed and controlled within an internal environmental management system, including consumption limits and strategies for reuse and reduction.

We are the first company in the pulp industry in São Paulo to implement three-stage effluent treatment:

1. Primary treatment: mechanical removal of fibers and inorganic compounds through solid-liquid separation
2. Secondary treatment: biological treatment of organic matter using activated sludge systems to significantly reduce organic load
3. Tertiary treatment: final polishing of the treated effluent through a chemical flotation system, ensuring it meets appropriate quality standards before it is returned to the Tietê River.

Tertiary effluent treatment supports high-performance removal of organic load—as measured by Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)—at approximately 98% efficiency, far exceeding federal regulatory requirements (Conama Resolution 430/2011). In addition, approximately 92% of water withdrawals are returned to the Tietê River as treated effluent.

Effluent discharge limits are set in accordance with Brazilian environmental laws and standards, including Article 18 of Decree No. 8.468/1976, Article 16 of CONAMA Resolution 430/2011, the state environmental regulator’s (CETESB) Technical Reference Document, Technical Opinion 072/18/IPSE, and international eco-label standards such as Nordic Swan and the EU Ecolabel (see GRI 2-6 About Bracell for further details).

At our mill in the Camaçari Industrial Park (Bahia), process water is collected post-use and pumped to Bracell’s on-site primary treatment system, which includes a sedimentation step. The organic effluent is then sent to the local utility, which performs secondary biological treatment (activated sludge), ensuring more than 95% removal of organic load. The treated effluent is then discharged into the Atlantic Ocean through a submarine outfall, in compliance with CONAMA Resolution 430/2011 and the guidelines of the Bahia state environmental authority (INEMA).

We consistently maintain quality standards that surpass national regulatory requirements, with especially rigorous monitoring of parameters like BOD and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD). At our operations in São Paulo, BOD levels are approximately 98% above the threshold required by federal regulations (Conama Resolution No. 430/2011), reflecting the efficiency of our exclusive tertiary treatment system. In our Bahia operations, continuous COD monitoring ensures the primary treatment system is performing optimally. The secondary treatment stage effectively reduces organic load, though due to mixing with effluents from other industrial operators within the complex, it is not possible to measure Bracell’s isolated contribution to the final effluent discharged offshore.

We conduct our forestry operations in compliance with the Forestry Certification Endorsement Program (PEFC) Standards, support environmentally compliant, socially beneficial and economically feasible operations. With the recertification of our plantation areas in 2024, a new five-year cycle begins, during which we commit to following certification standard requirements and commissioning annual third-party audits of our operations.

All pulpwood resource is verified against certification standards. In São Paulo, 70% comes from certified Bracell-managed plantations, and 30% from controlled sources. In Bahia, 90% of pulpwood is certified, while 10% comes from controlled sources.

We monitor 100% of the pulpwood resource. All shipments undergo due diligence to identify environmental and social risks and prevent the use of pulpwood from controversial sources, in line with Bracell’s commitment to not sourcing pulpwood of questionable origin.

In 2023, our São Paulo and Bahia mills sourced pulpwood from 73 suppliers. Document and field inspections are conducted to verify sustainable practices such as oil spill containment, proper waste disposal, non-use of burning for clearing, and compliance with protected area and legal reserve requirements. Additionally, our Bahia operation is certified to ISO 14001 – Environmental Management Systems.