Sustainability prize

The mill, situated in Villey Saint Etienne in north-eastern France, received first prize in the Eco-Management category of the ‘Enviro Trophy’ – a competition organised by the French regulatory authorities.

The mill manufactures tissue products from virgin fibre, recycled fibre and ‘broke’, which is a raw material created from waste and offcuts. The facility was recognised by judges for the implementation of Project Genesis, an initiative that cut discharges of absorbable organic halogens (AOx) – compounds that result from the re-pulping of broke.

Broke contains wet-strength resin, which must be broken down during pulping before the material can be re-used. Kimberly-Clark Professional subsequently installed a new broke pulper equipped with an additional refiner which breaks down wet-strength resin mechanically and has consequently cut the amount of sodium hypochlorite required by 80% and reduced AOx discharges by 66%.

Meanwhile, Kimberly-Clark Corporation – parent company of Kimberly-Clark Professional – has been named in the first ‘Natural Capital Leaders Index’ of global companies that have successfully reported growing revenues in recent years while reducing environmental impacts.