Promoting principles of circularity

Circularity is an approach that would allow us to live more within our planet’s means. Instead of a linear “take-make-waste” model of production and consumption, circularity aims to keep resources in use by “designing out” waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use and regenerating natural systems. ABB is striving to drive circularity, focusing on preserving resources and reducing environmental impact. Through our products and services, we are supporting process and material modifications that enhance the life span of existing products and emphasize reuse, refurbishment, and recycling, instead of relying on new manufacturing. This approach helps conserve valuable raw materials, reduce waste, and lower carbon emissions.

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A key part of ABB’s strategy for promoting circularity involves refurbishing electrical equipment, such as transformers and switchgear, extending their life cycle and minimizing the need for new resources. This circular approach reduces the consumption of raw materials and helps companies achieve sustainability goals by decreasing the amount of waste sent to landfills. ABB partners with businesses to integrate circular principles into their operations, optimizing the efficiency and lifespan of equipment.

ABB is leading efforts to drive circularity in the Nordic region. An example of this can be seen in ABB’s partnership with thermoplastic compounds provider Polykemi. ABB is integrating Polykemi’s innovative recycled thermoplastic compound into the manufacturing of its junction boxes at the Porvoo factory in Finland. 

Through alternative materials sourcing, it is estimated that the product's carbon footprint has been reduced by 40 percent throughout the entire life cycle. At the same time, less water is used during production, reducing the product’s overall water intensity. The ABB boxes retain their quality and functionality, even at temperatures as low as 25 degrees Celsius below zero. 

The company is also leveraging digital technologies to improve product performance and maximize energy efficiency, further supporting resource conservation. By adopting these practices, ABB helps industries transition toward a low-carbon economy while reducing their reliance on finite resources and generating economic benefits.

ABB is also applying its solutions to optimize and reduce resource use in the pulp and paper manufacturing industry by working with one of the world’s leading producers of paper pulp and dissolving pulp, Södra Cell.

Södra Cell’s mill bleach plant, located in Värö, Sweden, will work with ABB to implement optimization control with the aim of developing new levels of efficiency, engagement, and digitalization. The delivery from ABB includes extended functionality for the ABB Ability™ System 800xA® distributed control system through the implementation of advanced process control (APC) for the bleaching process at the mill in Värö. The solution has previously been successfully implemented at Södra Cell’s pulp mill in Mönsterås, Sweden, where digesters and bleach controls have been optimized resulting in improved process stability and reduced resource consumption. The aim is a more stable, optimized bleaching process with reduced variation of brightness and reduced chemical consumption, as well as improved digesting processes.

With global electronic waste (e-waste) projected to rise to 75 million tons by 2030, ABB is supporting the reduction of electronic waste in data centers.

As the number of data centers grows, outdated hardware contributes to increasing e-waste. In partnership with MOLG, a start-up from the United States, ABB is developing robotic microfactories, designed to efficiently disassemble and recycle obsolete electronic components. The robotic microfactories use ABB’s advanced robotics and automation technologies to automate the disassembly process, enabling the recovery and reuse of materials like copper, gold, and rare earth metals, minimizing resource depletion.

The system is scalable and flexible, enabling data centers to integrate these robotic solutions directly into their operations for in-house recycling. This approach not only reduces e-waste but also helps companies recover valuable materials, thus preserving resources and contributing to a circular economy.

Zinc is an important metal for the steel industry as it is used to galvanize steel structures, thereby maximizing the operating life. Because metal manufacturing is associated with high emissions, low-carbon alternatives are critical to a fossil-free and circular economy.

ABB is using low-carbon zinc in its low-voltage power distribution systems produced by our partner Boliden, a Swedish mining and smelting pioneer. Boliden uses renewable-powered electricity to produce zinc with a carbon footprint that is 75 percent lower than conventional zinc. In turn, Boliden is electrifying its operations with ABB solutions to drive efficiencies across its supply chain and lower its climate impact. ABB’s distribution systems galvanized with this low-carbon zinc can also be found in Boliden’s mines where the zinc ore is extracted. Together, both companies are helping to support reduced emissions in the metals industry and make the electrical infrastructure more sustainable.

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