Adding Circularity to our Economy

At Kemira, we are committed to enabling a biobased circular economy and adopting circular business practices across our own operations.

We can reduce unnecessary costs by reducing the amount of waste we generate. At the same time, sourcing industrial by-products has the potential to both reduce our raw material costs and alleviate pressure on natural resources.

In 2023, 44% of raw materials used in Kemira’s global manufacturing came from recycled sources or industrial by-products. In our inorganic coagulants line, 70–80% of raw material comes from recycled sources (scrap iron and spent pickle liquor). These are used in the treatment of wastewater, drinking water, and in many other industrial water treatment applications.

In 2018, Kemira went a step further and started mining a landfill that contains several million tons of ferric sulfate – helping put some 30 years of accumulate industrial byproduct back into our circular economy. So far Kemira has utilized approximately 960,000 tonnes of material from this landfill.

As the fundamental drivers for sustainability shape our market, our products will increasingly be based on renewable, recyclable or bio-based building blocks. We are establishing a new biobased roadmap & strategy for Kemira and will gradually move from fossil-based carbon to renewable carbon in our own product portfolio.

By the end of 2030 over EUR 500 million revenue will come from our biobased products.

2021 revenue

219M €

From biobased products

Target revenue by the end of 2030

>500M €

From biobased products

How can we live in balance with nature and the environment?

Circularity is a mind-set that everyone needs to adopt. Mari Zabihian, researcher and Senior Application Manager, tells you what important role Kemira’s scientists will play.

Insights