From tree to tissue: navigating sustainable paper sourcing for a greener washroom

Drying, dabbing, wiping, take a guess at how many tonnes of tissue paper are used globally each year. The total might surprise you – humans use a staggering 44 million tonnes of tissue paper annually as a gentle, hygienic product for personal hygiene and hand drying. This is equivalent to about 70,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools filled with rolls of tissue.

Behind this seemingly simple product exists a web of complex sustainability factors as providers work to meet this vast demand. In this blog, we’re exploring the issues around tissues from source to end product, covering the environmental challenges governing tissue paper production and highlighting ways to ensure a sustainable supply chain.  

Firstly, what is tissue paper made from?

If you’ve ever wondered what gives tissue paper its softness, you can find the answer in nature. Tissue paper is made from various plant fibres that can give it the softness, strength and absorbency needed to dry things effectively and comfortably. With steady availability in large volumes and low costs, most tissue paper is made from tree fibres. It can also be made from many non-tree species, including bamboo, bagasse, cotton and hemp, and these alternative fibres tend to be used for more expensive speciality tissues.

Sustainability challenges surrounding tissue paper production

The future of our forests

Fortunately for our tissue paper needs, trees are an infinitely renewable resource but only if managed properly. Most forests in Europe and North America, for example, are sustainably managed, which ensures the forests can produce regular supplies of timber while maintaining the forest cover. In fact, in Europe, the forest area has even increased by 9% since 1990.

As such an important issue, there are several international agreements in place to ensure forests are sustainably managed, such as Forest Europe (previously called the Helsinki Process) in Europe and the Montreal Process involving 12 other countries with temperate forests, including Canada, USA, Russia, China and Japan. With governance like this in place, 90% of wood in the US is sourced from sustainably managed forests.

The pros and cons of recycled fibres

Like many materials, the benefits of using recycled paper are that it isn’t sent to landfill, where it can produce the greenhouse gases methane and CO2, and reduces the energy, chemicals and water used to make paper products. 

However, as you can imagine, poorer product qualities mean there are many challenges for manufacturers in using recycled fibres. They can affect the strength, softness and ability to absorb water, all characteristics desired by consumers. Recycled fibre also contains contaminants, such as ink, which need to be removed and disposed of.

The environmental impact of paper production  

The pulp and paper industry is a heavy user of energy, taking a similar amount of energy to make a tonne of paper as a tonne of steel. The industry has been taking steps to reduce energy consumption by improving the efficiency of processes and using biomass for energy. It is also a large user of water, requiring up to 65,000 litres per tonne of paper though the most efficient mills can use as little as 17,000 litres per tonne.

Additionally, a wide range of chemicals are used in manufacturing and many are released into the atmosphere, especially sulphur compounds, and many more in the waste water. This needs to be treated before the water is returned to the environment — usually a river.

How businesses can ensure tissue paper supplies are sustainable

Given the challenges listed above, what can businesses do to establish ‘greener’ tissue paper supplies? The first step is to seek suppliers that can provide detailed information about the origins of their paper products and their production processes. For example, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and the World Resources Institute have produced a guide for the sustainable procurement of wood and paper-based products. The pulp and paper manufacturers themselves have also taken steps to improve the sustainability of their manufacturing operations over the last few decades.

Additionally, there are several certifications to ensure the sustainability of paper products. The main certifications are FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification). The EU has Ecolabel certification for assessing paper production and the US EPA has developed an Energy Performance Indicator (EPI) and Energy Star certification for pulp and paper plants. These accreditations can serve a reliable, trusted marker of responsible paper production and provide reassurance when it comes to sustainable purchasing decisions.

What is Rentokil Initial doing in this space?

Rentokil Initial is committed to embracing sustainability in all its operations to achieve Net Zero by 2040 and by aligning activities with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In 2020 the company developed an Environmental Action Plan which is being delivered through local teams across the world. The plan is being implemented under three “pillars”: sustainable solutions, sustainable operations and sustainable workplace.

All critical suppliers are expected to have sustainability accreditations or, in countries where external accreditations are limited, comply with specified sustainability guidelines. Rentokil Initial believes that achieving sustainability is a team effort and works with suppliers who share the same sustainability values to achieve our short and long-term goals.

Chris Rowe, Procurement Director for Rentokil Initial, explains the importance of accreditation for ensuring sustainable practices in the supply chain: “As one of the world’s leading hygiene businesses we use significant amounts of paper to service our customers. It’s therefore critical for our sustainability efforts that these products are responsibly sourced. Currently, 96% of the paper we provide our customers globally holds a recognised environmental accreditation. By sourcing paper products that hold to these standards we can minimise the environmental impact of the products we supply to our customers.”

Jason Lannie, Group Safety, Health & Environment Director, added: “Sustainable paper management, including sourcing, reuse and recycling, sends a consistent message about our commitment to environmental responsibility. Choosing sustainably produced paper helps reduce air and water pollution, minimises energy and water use associated with paper production, and supports sustainable forest management to ensure the forests, a natural renewable resource, are properly maintained for future generations.”

We know we are responsible for taking action across our business and helping our customers deliver on their sustainability goals with confidence, so we are taking the necessary steps to do so, including ensuring our tissue paper supplies are more sustainable.

Learn more about eco-friendly hygiene solutions and services

What Initial offers as a business goes way beyond tissue paper, so our sustainability commitments do, too. From soaps made from natural ingredients to recycled packaging, we’re driving significant change across our business and industry by considering the environmental impact of our product development process, operations, supply chain and ongoing partnerships. If you want to learn more about our effective hygiene solutions that can help our customers achieve their sustainability goals, click here.