Natural Resource Management
Glatfelter is a responsible steward of the environment and is focused on maintaining the planet’s natural resources though industry leading forest and water management systems and certifications.
Responsible Forest Management and Certified Practices
As a leader in responsible forestry management, Glatfelter has achieved the following chain-of-custody forestry certification at its North American and European facilities.
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®) certification means that Glatfelter can source and track wood and fiber from FSC-certified, well-managed forests. A forest is an investment — for you and future generations. How you manage this precious land resource will have tremendous impact on the value of your property and its health and productivity for years to come. Proper forest management is essential to ensuring the quality and vitality of your forest. Harvesting trees properly not only results in financial gains but can also help realize the potential of your land’s wildlife habitat, aesthetics, recreational options, and future sustainability.
Water Management
At every step in the manufacturing process, our goal is to use as little water as possible and to reuse water whenever possible. Wetlaid manufacture technology is a water-intensive process. Obtained from nearby streams and aquifers, water used in the processes is treated prior to use. Water that is no longer suitable for reuse is sent to the waste water treatment plant, where physical and biological processes are used to remove solids and biodegradable chemicals from the water before it is discharged back to the water source from which it was withdrawn. Our water management initiatives include:
- Minimizing the amount of water used per ton of production
- Ensuring that the discharged water is treated to meet relevant national, state and local discharge standards
- Improving water recovery processes to minimize water losses in our production processes
Process Effluent Treatment and Disposal
Dedicated waste water treatment plants, located at each Glatfelter manufacturing facility, process and treat the effluent from that facility prior to being returned to its receiving watercourse. We use primary treatment and biological treatment processes to remove solids and biodegradable materials with tertiary treatment where applicable. This ensures the discharged effluent used is of the highest quality practical. The required quality of the final effluent discharged to the receiving water source is specified via a permit, for each facility, issued by the local environmental agency. The quality of effluent is continuously monitored to ensure it meets permit conditions.
