Our Position
Water is an essential component of papermaking and the ecosystems in which we all live. Each of our Mills is located close to coastal or wetland river systems and we are acutely aware of the need to manage our use of water responsibly.

We continually focus on the following:

	Maximising our use of water;
	Water recycling and re-treatment;
	Continuous improvements in the treatment of aqueous discharge;
	Continuous monitoring, in conjunction with our environmental regulators, of our environmental impacts.

Our Performance
All of our Mills use less than their allocation of water and our Tasmanian Mills use only 22% of their allocated water supplies.

Maryvale Mill's water usage per tonne of paper produced has reduced by 66% in the last 20 years.

In 2003/04 a major upgrade of the water treatment process at Maryvale was undertaken with the aeration pond reconfigured, new aeration devices installed and an improved nutrient dosing plant built. This also included de-sludging of #2 pond of over 300,000m3 of accumulated sludge from over 25 years of operation. In addition, a new wetland area was created and planting of native species continues. This along with the neighbouring natural wetlands area provides the region with one of the largest protected wetland areas inhabited by numerous species of bird life, including 30 new pelicans that have relocated to the area.

In 1996 the Shoalhaven Mill constructed a natural biological treatment system. Since then, a treatment optimisation program has led to a 94.1% reduction in pollutant loads in the discharged water.

Below
Ornithorhynchus anatinus - the Platypus is found throughout Eastern Australia. Listed as a "protected species". The Wesley Vale operation is situated within the greater catchment of the world's largest Platypus population.