ROSWELL, Ga., Nov. 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Kimberly-Clark
Professional, a global leader in contamination control solutions
for cleanrooms and laboratories, is celebrating the 10-year
anniversary of The RightCycle™ Program, the first large-scale
recycling effort for non-hazardous lab, cleanroom and industrial
waste. Since 2011, the program has empowered more than 800
customers to divert over 1,400 metric tons of 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 regionally based
recycling partners that create new pellets, which are used to
produce consumer products and durable goods. These include
flowerpots and lawn furniture, benches and bicycle racks.
Originating in the U.S. 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 has made a difference for many customers.
A partnership with the Dallas Zoo has led to the diversion of more
than 2,444 pounds of gloves since 2018 – roughly the weight of its
female hippopotamus.
"When these gloves go to a landfill, they can be consumed by
wildlife, or they can wind up in our oceans and harm marine life,"
said Shannon College, a Dallas Zoo
animal supervisor who runs the zoo's "Green Team." "Anything we can
do to reduce that impact is vitally important to us."
The RightCycle Program is part of Kimberly-Clark's 2030
ambition, which is to advance the well-being of 1 billion people in
underserved communities around the globe while reducing the
company's environmental footprint by 50 percent. 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.
"For over a decade, The RightCycle Program has been an
industry-changing initiative, providing customers with a highly
effective solution that not only helps mitigate waste, but also
lowers disposal costs," said Rob
Hughes, Vice President of Personal Protective Equipment at
Kimberly-Clark Professional. "As we continue to evolve the program,
sustainability and innovation will remain at the core of our
strategy as we find ways to 'RightCycle' even more products around
the world and help deliver Kimberly-Clark's purpose of Better Care
for a Better World."
The program also makes a difference in the lives of people with
disabilities through its partnership with the Jackson County
Developmental Center (JCDC) in Millwood,
W. Va., a non-profit organization that provides employment
for people who have survived traumatic brain injuries or have been
diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, learning disabilities and
other conditions. These workers sort and prepare used PPE prior to
its recycling.
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. To that end, the company recently
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 the company's work with some of its
RightCycle partners, including JCDC and Somerset Recycling
Services, a plastics processing organization in Kentucky. Since 2016, Somerset Recycling
Services has recovered over 2.8 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, Kimtech and Jackson Safety. Kimberly-Clark
Professional, located in Roswell, Georgia, is one of three Kimberly-Clark
business sectors. 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 No. 1 or No.
2 share positions in approximately 80 countries. We use sustainable
practices that support a healthy planet, build strong 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 nearly
150-year history of innovation, visit kimberly-clark.com.
[KMB-S]
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kimberly-clark-professional-celebrates-decade-of-innovation-through-the-rightcycle-program-301424141.html
SOURCE Kimberly-Clark Professional