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HUGGIES® brand
has an ongoing commitment to take responsible steps
for the next generation. That means you can feel
good about the choices you make for your little
one—now, and for the future.
We’ve answered some of the most common questions
we hear on the subject of diapers and environmental “sustainability:”
Which has a bigger environmental
impact–cloth diapers or disposable diapers?
Have diapers become a problem for our landfills?
Did you know?
Would a biodegradable diaper
be a better idea for today’s landfill waste stream?
What about the energy it takes
to make Kimberly-Clark products, including HUGGIES® diapers?
Are HUGGIES® diapers made
with natural materials?
Which has a bigger environmental impact–cloth diapers or disposable diapers?
Some important research on
this subject has revealed that there is no significant
difference. The results of a two year independent
study* concluded that there was not a clearly better
or worse diapering choice, when it comes to environmental
impact. Results of this study showed that using
cloth diapers uses more water, energy and detergents;
while disposable diapers contribute more solid
waste to landfill.
*Two year independent review sponsored by the UK
Government Environment Agency - Life Cycle Assessment
(LCA)2 released 19 May 2005
Have diapers become a problem for our landfills?
While there have been some
exaggerated reports on the topic of diapers in
landfills, the truth is that disposable diapers
account for less than 1.5%1 of the waste placed
annually in landfills in the United States. And
the makers of HUGGIES® diapers
are continually striving to do our part in making
that impact less and less. For example since 1995
in our Step 4 sizes, we have removed approximately
16% of the weight from our HUGGIES® Snug and
Dry diapers and 19% of the weight from our
HUGGIES SUPREME® diapers without impacting
performance. These less bulky diapers mean more
comfort for your little one, while reducing the
amount of materials that will eventually go to
landfill. And diapers with less bulk mean fewer
trucks are needed on a per diaper basis to transport
our diapers to the store shelf.
For more examples:
http://www.kimberly-clark.com/aboutus/Sustainability/sustainability_pg14.aspx
1 US EPA 'Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling,
and Disposal in the United States: Facts and Figures
for 2006'
Did you know?
Kimberly-Clark (makers of HUGGIES® diapers) is proud to
have been recognized for our sustainability leadership
by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. For the
fourth consecutive year, Kimberly-Clark ranked
No. 1 in the personal products category among
a global peer group of 16 companies for its leadership
in sustainability.
http://www.kimberly-clark.com/aboutus/Sustainability/sustainability_pg3.aspx
Would a biodegradable diaper be a better idea for today’s landfill waste stream?
Not really. Current landfill
sites are operated as sealed environments with
air and water flow restricted. Most materials require
water and air to biodegrade. Waste is buried in
this way to manage and capture the released green
house gases and to minimize chemicals from leaching
into the soil1. Operating a landfill in this way
does allow the capture of methane gas which can
be converted to energy. Kimberly-Clark (makers
of HUGGIES® diapers) is currently using methane from a landfill
at our Beech Island Manufacturing Facility.
http://www.kimberly-clark.com/aboutus/Sustainability/sustainability_pg30.aspx
This sealed landfill environment
is today’s
typical waste stream for disposing of consumer
waste such as disposable diapers in the United
States1. HUGGIES® Brand believes that the future
development of new waste streams is key in reducing
our reliance on landfills and the impact of all
disposable waste on the environment. HUGGIES® Brand will
continue to design products that are compatible
with customary disposal methods. As disposal technologies
change, HUGGIES® diapers will change.
1United States EPA Landfill
Guidelines
What
about the energy it takes to make Kimberly-Clark
products, including HUGGIES® diapers?
Kimberly-Clark, the makers of HUGGIES® diapers,
has put a focus on reducing energy usage since
the early 1990’s. Here at Kimberly-Clark
we have an ongoing energy reduction program where
our goal is to reduce our energy need AND carbon
dioxide (CO2) emissions associated with every ton
of product produced and distributed, worldwide.
We are proud of our corporate results to date:
Total Energy Reduction: 9% since 2000*
Energy Efficiency: Improved by 4.3% since 2005*.
*Source – 2007 Sustainability Report
http://www.kimberly-clark.com/aboutus/Sustainability/sustainability_pg27.aspx
Are HUGGIES® diapers made with natural materials?
The fluffy absorbent fibers
in United States HUGGIES® diapers
are made from wood pulp sourced from suppliers
who practice sustainable forest management. The
makers of HUGGIES® diapers have forward-thinking
policies to ensure we source wood pulp from sustainable
resources. We are committed to responsible fiber
procurement practices and the sustainable use of
all natural resources. Our global aim is for all
of our wood pulp to come from suppliers that have
certified their forests or fiber procurement activities.
http://www.kimberly-clark.com/aboutus/Sustainability/sustainability_pg51.aspx
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