Key Metric:
93.1% of the total water withdrawn at our facilities is returned to the environment
Water is essential to our manufacturing process and the ecosystems that surround our operations. At RYAM, we monitor water consumption and discharge annually to ensure our use remains responsible and efficient. Although none of our facilities operate in water-scarce regions, we recognize the increasing risks climate change poses to water availability and are committed to safeguarding this vital resource.
Each of our four manufacturing sites operates under government-issued permits that regulate both water withdrawal and effluent discharge. Throughout our production processes, water is reused multiple times before undergoing rigorous on-site treatment and returning to the environment. As of 2024, 93.1% of the total water withdrawn across RYAM facilities was treated and safely returned, consistently meeting or exceeding all regulatory standards for quality.
In 2023, we expanded our public disclosures to include a detailed breakdown of water use by source—surface water, groundwater, and municipal supply—providing greater transparency into our water stewardship practices. Our engineers continue to identify opportunities to further reduce water use, particularly where efficiency improvements can also lower energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, or wastewater loadings. Every new capital project is evaluated for its potential environmental impact, with a focus on minimizing water usage through smarter design and innovation.