The Sorbent Toilet Tissue Story
Made in Kawerau
Sorbent toilet tissue first launched in Australia in 1952 and was introduced to New Zealanders in the late 1990s. It wasn’t long until Sorbent toilet tissue became a much loved addition to Kiwi bathrooms. Due to overwhelming NZ demand, Essity began manufacturing Sorbent toilet tissue locally in Kawerau, Bay of Plenty.
Kawerau Paper Mill
Essity Australasia is the only tissue paper manufacturer in NZ that actually makes the paper onsite and converts the paper into finished product. In addition to this unique trait, we are the only tissue manufacturer in the world to use geothermal steam in the paper making process. Geothermal steam is a renewable energy source and using it helps us reduce greenhouse gases that lead to climate change. Since the mill moved to renewable energy in 2010, our factory has reduced greenhouse gases by 46% (18,000 tonnes/year). In addition to a reduction of greenhouse gas, the Kawerau mill has significantly reduced water consumption and waste to landfill.
Geothermal Steam
The geothermal steam in New Zealand has been trusted to the local Maori who have set up a company called Ngati Tuwharetoa Geothermal Assets (NGTA). We purchase our steam from them, with NGTA proceeds going back into the Bay Of Plenty community.
Lifecycle Analysis
We are proud to lead our industry and be the first tissue manufacturer in New Zealand and Australia to publish Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and use them to improve the environmental impact of our products. This study is independently verified and investigates the environmental impact of a product throughout its entire lifecycle and we discovered some amazing facts. From forest to flush most of the energy required to harvest, make and transport a Sorbent toilet roll comes from renewable resources. Using Sorbent Thick & Large Hypo-allergenic as an example, an impressive 73.2% of the energy used from “cradle to grave” is renewable.