Water scarcity is an increasingly serious global challenge, especially for people in developing regions. Tissue manufacturing is water-intensive, so water efficiency is a high priority. Several regions where we operate faced water shortages in 2008, including the European Union, the Middle East, South Africa and the North America. It is likely that this condition will become more common in the future.

Further reductions in usage remain a priority as part of Vision 2010. We are making significant capital investments in a range of water recycling projects.

Releases to water

As a manufacturer, we must effectively manage wastewater discharges to ensure that any effluent we release does not harm the waterways around our sites.

For our consumer products, we purchase elemental chlorine-free (ECF) and total chlorine-free (TCF) bleached pulp. The ECF process uses chlorine dioxide rather than pure chlorine, reducing toxicity. The two pulp mills we operate in Tantanoola, South Australia, and Everett, Washington, U.S., use TCF and ECF bleaching technology, respectively.

We also bleach recycled fiber during the manufacture of tissue products. These processes use compounds including chlorine dioxide, sodium hypochlorite, sodium hydrosulfite, oxygen, and hydrogen peroxide. We also offer several process-chlorine free products including several towel and tissue products.

We seek to treat wastewater from our facilities properly. Our facilities use advanced technologies, including primary and secondary treatment, to achieve high standards of wastewater quality.

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