Arauco is developing a US$4.6 billion pulp mill in Inocência, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. The single-phase project will have an annual production capacity of 3.5 million tonnes of short-fiber pulp and is expected to start operations by late 2027.

• Arauco has selected Veolia to design and implement the industrial effluent treatment plant for the Sucuriú Project, its first pulp mill in Brazil.

• Veolia will implement its world-leading technologies and processes to treat 10,600 cubic meters of wastewater per hour, preventing pollution of natural water sources. This treatment capacity is equivalent to managing the organic load generated by 3 million inhabitants.

Global pulp producer Arauco has selected Veolia to develop the wastewater treatment line for the Sucuriú Project. The contract covers the design and implementation of an industrial effluent treatment plant for the new mill, which is planned as the world's largest industrial facility to be built in a single phase.

Veolia will draw on more than 50 years of experience in the pulp and paper industry to implement treatment technologies designed for industrial effluents from pulp mills. The treatment line will incorporate biological treatment intensification 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 system will also include belt presses for sludge dewatering, designed to optimize sludge handling and disposal. The overall treatment capacity will reach 10,600 m³ per hour. Veolia estimates that the organic load treated will be equivalent to that generated by a municipality of 3 million inhabitants.

Leonardo Crociati, Executive Manager of Implementation for the Sucuriú Project at Arauco, said: "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, said: "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."