Virgin Fibres vs Recycling
Contrary to common belief, virgin and recycled sources of fibre have similar impacts on the environment - just in different ways*.
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Virgin: One side of the story
- We use virgin cellulose fibres extracted from fully renewable plantation forests to make our high quality tissue products.
- All our fibre supplies are audited or accredited to certified forest management schemes like PEFC and FSC.
- We use a by-product of forest supplying timber to the construction industry called 'thinnings'.
- We pioneered a world first low energy, oxygen bleaching process ensuring all our locally manufactured pulp is Totally Chlorine Free (TCF). That's right no chlorine bleaching in our nappies!
- Virgin fibre is needed to replenish the continuing losses from fibre stocks as there's not enough recycled paper in Australia to meet demand.
Recycling: The flip side
- We use recycled fibre in all of our packaging like in out KLEENEX Facial Tissue and HUGGIES Nappies Jumbo boxes which are made from 95% recycled fibre.
- Our Millicent and Tantanoola operations provide valuable support to local industry. Moving away from using 'thinnings' as a fibre source places environmental pressure on the local industry to find an alternative processing stream for this forest industry by-product.
- Recycled paper requires installing a de-inking plant, using both chemicals and water and producing sludge as waste product.
- As our pulp mill is located remotely from major population centres, waste paper would need to be transported a great distance, with consequent environment impact. In countries where our operations are located close to cities we use recycled fibres.
- White paper can be recycled up to 7 times. To use it in a single-use tissue product would be wasteful.
Kimberly-Clark takes all these factors into account regularly reviewing them to ensure the most responsible and sustainable use of our valuable resources.
* Source: Independently audited 2008 Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) report.
