Isobel Hastings
Kimberly-Clark Australia has achieved zero waste in Millicent with the help of Waste ResourceCo to divert the last 2 per cent of energy and become completely landfill-clean.
The mill in Millicent is known for producing products like Huggies, U by Kotex, VIVA, and Huggies.
The company produces 85,000 tonnes of healthcare products per year, achieving this milestone through a number of key ideas.
Mill Manager at Kimberly-Clark Australia Adam Carpenter spoke of the Mill’s achievements, expressing that the company is thrilled about the goal.
“Sustainability has always been a core value for us, and this accomplishment is not only significant for our team but also for the broader Australian manufacturing sector – as it demonstrates that this is possible,” he said.
“Moving forward, we remain committed to furthering our environmental efforts. Having surpassed our initial greenhouse gas reduction goal early in 2022, our current focus is on reducing our Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50 per cent, by 2030.
“As of 2023, we’ve achieved over 30 per cent in reduction efforts, so we’re well on track and actively exploring various avenues to drive this figure even lower in the years to come.”
He said Kimberly-Clark took pride in its impact on Australia’s manufacturing base, and how they hope their efforts inspire others to consider sustainability in their lives and contribute to preserving our planet.
All organic-based materials are managed off-site responsibly through composting practices, including tissue boxes and loose cardboard.
Used fabric is offered to the community for reuse and sent to Gambier Earth Movers for landscaping use.
Kimberly Clark also collects used batteries, then bulks and recycles them locally.
Plastic pails and pallets that are made of HDPE are also collected for the Eucalyptus element and transported to Sustainable Plastic Solutions in Hamilton for recycling.
Last year, K-CA reached 98 per cent of waste reduction and achieved the last two per cent with the help of Waste ResourceCo, turning the waste into energy for the site in Adelaide.
