ROSWELL,
Ga., June 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --
Kimberly-Clark Professional, a global leader in contamination
control solutions for cleanrooms and laboratories, has expanded The
RightCycle Program, the first large-scale recycling effort for
non-hazardous lab, cleanroom and industrial PPE
waste. Flex-film plastic packaging from Kimtech™ and
KleenGuard™ products will now be accepted for recycling through the
program.
"This is a significant step in addressing a challenging waste
stream that currently has very low recycling rates compared with
other commodities, such as paper and cardboard," said Mike Haley, Vice President of PPE at
Kimberly-Clark Professional. "As the program continues to grow and
evolve, we remain committed to finding ways to expand our recycling
capabilities in order to help our customers reach their goals and
to deliver on our purpose of Better Care for a Better World."
Since 2011, The RightCycle Program has empowered more than 900
customers to divert 3.7 million pounds of waste.
Film and flexible packaging are composed of various substances,
and recycling them requires a specific approach. In 2019, only 5%
of managed plastic waste in the United
States was recycled, according to scientists with the
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The RightCycle Program
has established partnerships and processes to properly recycle
these items.
In addition to plastic packaging waste, The RightCycle Program
collects previously hard-to-recycle personal protective equipment
(PPE) such as garments, masks, gloves, and goggles. These items are
then recycled by regional partners that create new plastic pellets,
which are used to produce consumer products and durable goods,
including flowerpots and lawn furniture, benches, and bicycle
racks.
Originating in the United
States with a few scientific manufacturing customers, The
RightCycle Program is now available in nine countries across
Europe and North America with a wide range of customers
that include universities, zoos, laboratories, manufacturing
facilities, breweries, and a variety of other businesses.
The RightCycle Program contributes to Kimberly-Clark's global
2030 ambition, which is to improve the lives of 1 billion people in
underserved communities around the globe with the smallest
environmental footprint. Kimberly-Clark understands that a strong
and enduring focus on safeguarding natural systems is just as
essential to helping people live a better life. To that end, the
company is focused on the areas where it can make the biggest
difference – climate, forests, water and plastics.
Kimberly-Clark aspires to be at the forefront of the transition
to a circular, reuse economy by reducing waste, promoting
waste-handling system improvements, and innovating new ways of
providing people with the products that they need to live their
best lives. In 2021, the company expanded The RightCycle Program in
Europe to other categories to
include the recycling of both plastic dispensers and hand towels.
This will provide Kimberly-Clark Professional with an even greater
opportunity to reduce its environmental footprint in collaboration
with its customers.
Watch a brief video about Kimberly-Clark Professional's
RightCycle partners, including the Jackson County Developmental
Center (JCDC) and Somerset Recycling Services, a plastics
processing organization in Kentucky. Since 2016, Somerset Recycling
Services has recovered nearly 3 million pounds of recyclable
materials from The RightCycle Program.
To learn more about The RightCycle Program,
visit www.kcprofessional.com/rightcycle.
About Kimberly-Clark
Professional
Kimberly-Clark Professional partners with businesses to create
Exceptional Workplaces, helping to make them healthier, safer and
more productive. Key brands in this segment include Kleenex, Scott,
WypAll, KleenGuard and Kimtech. To see how Kimberly-Clark
Professional is helping people around the world to work better,
please visit www.kcprofessional.com.
About Kimberly-Clark
Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB) and its trusted brands are an
indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries.
Fueled by ingenuity, creativity, and an understanding of people's
most essential needs, we create products that help individuals
experience more of what's important to them. Our portfolio of
brands, including Huggies, Kleenex, Scott, Kotex, Cottonelle,
Poise, Depend, Andrex, Pull-Ups, GoodNites, Intimus, Neve,
Plenitud, Sweety, Softex, Viva and WypAll, hold the No. 1 or No. 2
share position in 80 countries. We use sustainable practices that
support a healthy planet, build stronger communities, and ensure
our business thrives for decades to come. To keep up with the
latest news and to learn more about the company's 150-year history
of innovation, visit kimberly-clark.com.
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