TORK PaperCircle program
“For us, sustainability is not just a slogan or a fashion, but a business concept and product strategy that has been in place for years: as the largest forest landowner in Europe, Essity’s former parent company, the Swedish forestry company SCA, has always been committed to sustainable management. For me as a family man, it is also important to preserve the planet for the next generation, and my children hold me accountable for what I do for the environment in my work.”
Zoltán Venter, Managing Director
Company name:
Essity Hungary Kft.
Implementation year:
2018
Focus Areas:
Climate protection and adaptation, Waste management, Circular economy
Program Objective:
We have committed to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. In the short term, we have committed to a 35% reduction in our emissions from manufacturing and raw material use by 2030. To achieve net-zero emissions, we have developed an eight-point climate plan, including investments in technologies that improve energy and resource efficiency, and focus our innovation competence on waste reduction and sustainable solutions. We offer services and products that fit into the circular system.
Program Measures and Commitments:
As a responsible company producing paper products, it is important that we operate business models that include the efficient recovery of used products and use technologies that are capable of producing recycled products of high quality.
We are constantly innovating to achieve this, and in 2018 we set new and ambitious targets to reduce waste – launching the world’s first handkerchief paper recycling scheme, PaperCircle. Available in 15 countries across Europe, the scheme involves washroom users hand-drying their paper hand towels and then throwing them into a separate collection bin, which is then separated by cleaners when they empty the bin. Our recycling partner then collects and transports the collected hand towels to the nearest Essity factory. Essity then uses the collected hand towels to make new paper products, so the cycle continues and new products are returned to our customers.
Another important milestone is the use of alternative raw materials, such as wheat straw, which is the plant fibre left over after wheat is harvested. At present, almost half of the world’s wheat straw is classified as waste, but value can be created from it. Our manufacturing process produces a pulp that is soft, shiny and strong, similar to the pulp made from fresh wood fibre. This is used by several of our businesses to make hygiene products. Our circular innovation reduces the environmental impact of our products, as this raw material is recyclable and requires less water and energy to produce.
Program Impact and Results:
We calculate that our PaperCircle programme can reduce the amount of waste going to landfill by at least 20% and improve the carbon footprint of the point of use by up to 40%. For example, an office of 50 people could reduce its monthly carbon emissions by almost 12 kg by using the service. We’ve also created a calculator that allows anyone to work out how much the company, office or institution they work in could contribute to reducing their carbon emissions annually by joining Tork PaperCircle.
Related links:
Related keywords:
recycling of hygiene products
