EDANA Sustainability Report_2014 2015

SUSTAINABILITYREPORT

4th EDITION, 2015

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

3. ABOUT EDANA

4. FOREWORD FROM THE CHAIR

5. A BIG CONTRIBUTION TO THE WORLDA. NONWOVEN FABRICSB. SUPERABSORBENT POLYMERSC. PULPD. ADHESIVESE. FILMSF. KEY SUPPLY CHAIN PARTNERS

• Fibres,filaments,polymersandadditives• Converters• Machinerybuilders• Researchinstitutes,testlabsandconsultants

G. KEY APPLICATIONS• Comfortandconvenience:Hygiene• Kindtoseedsandshoots:Agriculture• Safedriving:Automotive• Keepinginshape:Interlinings• Forthebricksandmortar:Construction• Homecomforts:Household• Ingoodhealth:Medical• Cleanerairandwater:Filtration• Forbusylifestyles:Wipes• Structuralstability:Geotextiles

6. PROMOTINGSUSTAINABILITY: ACTIVE ON ALL FRONTS

A. LIFEWITHNONWOVENS: GETTING THE BENEFITS ACROSSB. SUSTAINABILITY ENGAGEMENT SURVEY C. INDEX™ 14 EXPANDEDD. SYMPOSIUM:CONSIDERINGRENEWABLE RAW MATERIALSE. GUIDANCE:EFFECTIVEENVIRONMENTALCLAIMSF. EXPERTPANEL:CONSIDERINGFUTURE WASTE MANAGEMENTG. ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCT DECLARATIONS

H. SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFICATION OF ABACA FIBRES

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7. LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENTS

8. TAKING A LONG-TERM APPROACHA. EMPLOYMENTANDREVENUES: ADDING VALUE FOR EUROPEB. FUTUREGROWTH:TAKINGFULLRESPONSIBILITYC. SUPPORTING FREE AND FAIR TRADED. HEALTHCAREBENEFITS:FIGHTINGINFECTIONE. GUARANTEEING SAFE PRODUCTSF. TAKING A PRODUCT STEWARDSHIP APPROACHG. ALEVELPLAYINGFIELD: HARMONISING TEST METHODS WORLDWIDEH. COMFORTANDCONVENIENCE: QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALLI. PREVENTING WASTE

9. DIRECTENGAGEMENT: BEING PROACTIVE

10. FUTURE INDUSTRY WIDE EFFORTS AND ACTIVITIES

11. MESSAGE FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER

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SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 3.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS1.

Authors and contributors

EDANA would like to warmly thank the following member companies for their contribution to this report:

Project coordination, text review and editing:

• Pierre Conrath (EDANA)• Adrian Wilson, Nonwovens and Technical Textiles Specialist

Production and design coordination:

• Abby Bailey (EDANA) • Giovanna Merola (EDANA)

Design:

Alligence Communications

Published by EDANA

International association serving the nonwovens and related industries

SUSTAINABILITY REPORT4.

Sinceourlastreportin2011,EDANAhasbeenextremelyproactiveinaddressingeveryaspectforthenonwovensandrelatedindustriesinrespectofthesocial,environmentalandeconomicaspects ofsustainability.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2.

reductionhasagainbeenachievedforbabydiapersoverthepastdecade.

This,our4thSustainabilityReport,alsodetailsthemanyseminars,symposia,surveys,workinggroupsandspecialistcommitteemeetingswhichhavetakenplaceinsupportofpromotingthesustainabilityofourindustry–inadditiontogovernmentalengagementandcontinuousdialoguewithrelevantthirdpartyorganisations–overthepastthreeyears.


Therecentcompletionofourmajornewstudy,“LifewithNonwovens”,forexample,drawsattentiontoeightcategoriesofdurableproduct,andtheessentialcontributioneachmakestoour 21stCenturylife.

Thefull-spectrumsustainabilitystudywascarriedoutwiththesupportofEDANAmembercompanies,andtheinternationally-respectedconsultancyDenkstatt.Itinvolvedthecollectionofimportantdataforthetotallifecycleoftheproductsconcerned,

developmentofacomprehensivecarbonfootprintmodel,witheconomicdata alsocompiledtoallowcostcalculations andcomparisons.

Thestudyalsofeaturesstrikinginfographicswhichwillbedeployedtoshowthebenefitsofthesematerialsacrosstoawider,non-specialistglobalaudience.

Meanwhile,EDANA’scomprehensiveLifeCycleAnalysisprojectshavecontinued,withthelatestprovingthatasignificantweight

SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 5.SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 5.

3 YEARS OF EFFORTS TO DRIVE AND FOSTER SUSTAINABILITY IN OUR INDUSTRY


EDANAistheinternationalassociationservingthenonwovensandrelatedindustries.Ourdiversemembershipofmorethan240companiesrepresentsover90%oftheindustryacrossthenonwovensvaluechain.Thisvertically-integratedstructureencompassesupstreamsuppliers,convertersandproducers.Asatradeassociationthismakesusunique,sinceourmembershipreflectsourentirevaluechain.

Overtime,manufacturersofnonwovensandrelatedproductshavepursuedsustainabilitythroughproductionefficiencies,significantlyreducingenergydemandandproductionwastebyoptimisingproductionprocesses.

EDANAanditsmembershaveavestedinterestinmakingthemostefficientuseofenergyandrawmaterials.Someoftherawmaterialsemployedinourproductsincludepulp,rayon(viscose),cotton,recycledpolymersandpolymersfromrenewableandnon-renewableresources.Companieshavealreadybeendriventochangethequantityandtypeofrawmaterialsandenergysourcesforeconomicreasonsandareregularlychallengingtheenergysourcesandrawmaterialstheyuseandseekingtointroducenewrawmaterialstoreducecostsanddeliverhigherperformanceproducts.Inourvaluechainmostoftheenvironmentalimpactislocatedupstreami.e.intheproductionofpolymersorforestry-basedfeedstock.Theproductionofnonwovensandtheirconversionintofinishedgoodshavehistoricallybeenenergyefficient.

ABOUT EDANA3.

SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 7.7.

Our vision and mission

Ourroleistoprovideourmemberswithacomprehensiverangeofservicesandtheinformationanddatanecessarytoenhancetheirindustrygoalsandperformance.EDANAprovidesthenonwovensandrelatedindustrieswithvitalissuesmanagement,lobbying,advisory,educational,networkingandinformation-sharingservices.Weaimtocreateanenvironmentthatisbeneficialforinnovationandsustainableandprofitablegrowthfortheindustry.Asthevoiceofnonwovens,werepresent,protectandactivelypromotethecommoninterestsofnonwovensandtheirrelatedindustriesthroughouttheworld,withaparticularfocusonEurope,theMiddleEastandAfrica.

Our definition of sustainability

Weunderstandsustainabilityastheefforttointegrateandbalancethepotentiallycompetingexpectationsofthepresentgenerationandthoseoffuturegenerations.Itisnotasingle,unchangingstate,butadynamicprocesswhichrequirescontinuousimprovementtostrikeabalancebetweentheneedsoftheeconomy,societyandtheenvironment.

Scope of this report

BuildingonthepublicationofthethirdSustainabilityReportin2011–whichexpandedbeyondhygieneproductstoencompassallapplicationareasandtheentirevaluechainfornonwovensandrelatedproducts–wehavesoughttofurtherhighlightthesocial,environmentalandeconomicbenefitsofourindustry.

How we work

EDANAisorganisedtoaddresssustainabilitythroughanumberofgroupsdedicatedtoaddressingspecificaspectsofourindustry’ssustainabilityagenda.

WithsupportfromtheSustainabilityCommitteetomanageallprojectsrelatedtosustainability,anannualForumtosharebestpracticeandkeydevelopmentsbetweenEDANAmembers,andsupportfromtheBoardlevelwithagroupthattranslatesstrategicprioritiesintoconcreteactions,EDANAmembershavebothexcellentrepresentation,andmultiplechancestoparticipateinsettingthesustainabilityagendafortheindustry.

SUSTAINABILITY REPORT


Ineverydaylife,peopleareverylikelytocomeintocontactwithnonwovens,eitherdirectly–throughusingproductssuchaspersonalcarewipesorbabydiapers–orindirectly,sincethesematerialsfindtheirwayintothecabinairfiltersofcars,stabilisationlayersunderroadsandtheinsulationenvelopesofbuildings,tonamejustthreeapplications.Withalmostlimitlesspotential,nonwovensreallyarethefabricsofthefuture!

FOREWORD FROM THE CHAIR

4.


SUSTAINABILITY REPORT

Sustainabilityisacontinuousprocess–thereisnosuchathingasa‘sustainablenonwoven’,orindeedanyotherproduct–butourindustryhasdeliveredmanysolutionstomakeourproductsandprocessesmoreefficientthroughouttheirlifecycle.Inthewakeofthehygienesector,nonwovensinawidevarietyofapplicationshavecontributedtocleanerairandwatertoo.

Nonwovenscanbeusedasmoreefficientalternativestoothermaterialsinfieldssuchaspackaging,butalso,forexample,invehicles–aslighter,moreefficientandrecyclablesubstitutestometalorcompositeparts.Compostablenonwovensusedinagriculturalapplicationsareanotherexample.Suchmaterialsaresolidenoughtofulfiltheirrolesandyetdisappearwhenthejobisdone.Theversatilityofnonwovensliesinthewidechoiceofrawmaterialstheycanbemadefrom,theirprecisely-engineeredstructuresandthecustomisedfeaturestheycanbegiventomakethemseriouscompetitorsforplastics,paper,textiles,glass,metalsandmaterials.Thisisaguaranteethatexistingapplicationareaswillcontinuetogrowandnewmarketswillemerge thankstothecreativityofthecompaniesin ourindustry.

Ibelievethatsustainabilityisadrivingforceforinnovation,especiallywhenthethreepillarsofsocial,environmentalandeconomicimpactsarefullyconsidered.Innovationmaybedrivenbyadesireforrenewableresources,toreducewasteandensurebetterlives,forahealthyplanetandadynamiceconomyforcurrentandfuturegenerations.Nonwovensplayamajorpartinsomanydailylives,beitbyproviding

Patricia FeatherstoneChairoftheEDANABoardofGovernors

THE EFFICIENCY, VERSATILITY AND INNOVATION OF THE NONWOVENS AND RELATED INDUSTRIES ARE THE BEST GUARANTEES OF CONTINUED GROWTH.


advancedconvenienceandcomfortinhygiene,protectingpatientsandhealthcareprofessionalsduringsurgery,orensuringthataroadconstructedtodaylastsformanyyears,soitisonlynaturalthatourchallengecontinuestobefindingnewandinnovativewaystoaddresstheneedsofsociety–todayandtomorrow.


A BIG CONTRIBUTION TO THE WORLD5.


Whileincertainapplicationareas,nonwovensareemployedasend-productsbythemselves,theyareoftenusedincombinationwithothermaterials.Thisisparticularlythecaseforabsorbenthygieneproducts,whicharecomplexconstructionsofnonwovens,superabsorbentpolymers,pulp,adhesivesandfilms.Thisisjustonereason whyEDANA’smembershipisso positivelydiverse.


A. NONWOVEN FABRICS

Nonwovensarehigh-tech,engineeredfabricsmadefrombothnaturalandoil-based,man-madefibres.Theyareemployedinawiderangeofconsumerandindustrialproductsinapplicationsforboththehomeandtheworkplace,andhavebecome aversatileandindispensablepartof modernlife.

Nonwovensandrelatedproductscanbecategorisedasdurableorsingle-use.Bothcategoriesaddressvastlydifferentchallengesintermsofproductperformanceandsustainability.Forexample,adurablenonwovenusedasageotextilesupportingaroadorbuilding,forwhichthekeyobjectiveistoenablelongerlastinginfrastructure,isdesignedtolastandperformoveraverylongtime,afterwhichitcanstillberecovered.Asingle-useproductsuchasababydiaperhoweverhasacompletelydifferentprofile,asitisdesignedtoperformonce,forarelativelyshorttimeandtodeliveritsperformancewithaminimalimpactintermsofrawmaterialuseandwastegenerated.

Thespecificfunctionsofnonwovensinclude:absorbency,liquidrepellence,resilience,stretch,softness,strength,flameretardancy,washability,cushioning,filtering,bacterialbarrierandsterilisation.Thesepropertiesareoftencombinedtocreatefabricssuitedforspecificfunctions.Theycanrivaltheappearance,textureorstrengthofawovenfabricandbeasbulkyasthethickestpadding.Theversatilityofnonwovensmeanstheycanoftenprovideinnovative,cost-effectiveandsometimesunexpectedanswerstomanyfunctionalchallenges.

B. SUPERABSORBENT POLYMERS

Superabsorbents(alsoknownassuperabsorbentpolymersorSAP)absorbmanytimestheirownweightinaqueousfluids;upto300timestheirweightinwaterwithoutreleasingit.Theyarethereforean

idealmaterialforuseinproductsdesignedtoabsorbandretainfluidssuchasbabydiapers,incontinenceproducts,andfemininehygienepadsandliners.

Theyplayanimportantroleinthecontinuousdevelopmentoflighter andbetterperformingproducts. Innovationallowsforanongoingreductionoftheamountofrawmaterialsusedandtheamountofwastegeneratedbytheend-user.

C. PULP

Woodpulpisarenewablematerialandanimportantpartofbothabsorbenthygieneproductsandnonwovens.Itisusedinthecoreofabsorbenthygieneproductsforthedistributionofliquid.Fluffpulpisoftenthemainingredientinairlaidnonwovens,foundinwipesorfoodpackagingforexample.Airlaidnonwovensprovideforbetterbulk,porosity,dryandwetstrength,softnessandwaterabsorptionpropertiescomparedwithnormaltissuepaper.Fluffpulpusedinnonwovensandrelatedproductsismainlysourcedfromsustainablymanagedforests.IntheU.S.,FinlandandSweden,themainsuppliersofwoodforfluffpulp,therearemoretreestodaythan100yearsago,becauseforestownerstypicallyplantmoretreesthantheyharvest.

D. ADHESIVES

Incombinationwithnonwovens,speciallydesignedadhesives,bindersandclosuresystemshaveplayedanimportantroleintheproductionoflighterandbetterperformingproducts.Thishasallowedforareductionintheamountofrawmaterialsusedandtheamountofwastegeneratedbytheend-user.

Nonwovenfabrics

Superabsorbentpolyacrylate(SAP)

Fluffpulp

Adhesives

Photoco

urtesy

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vonik


E. FILMS

Filmsaretypicallymadeofpolyethyleneandusedinbabydiapers,femininecareproductsorincontinenceproducts.Filmsaremostlyusedasanimperviousbarrieronthebackoftheproducttopreventleakage.Amajorinnovationinthisfieldwastheintroductionofbreathablefilms,whichhavetheadvantageofbeingimpervioustoliquidswhileallowingairandvapourthrough. Thishasgreatlycontributedtothepreventionofskinconditionsandincreasedthecomfortofabsorbenthygieneproductsthankstoreducedskinwetness.

F. KEY SUPPLY CHAIN PARTNERS

Fibres, filaments, polymers and additives

Fibreproducersandchemicalsuppliershaveworkedtooptimisetheirroleinthesupplychain,minimisingtheenvironmentalimpactoftheiractivity.Theimprovedsustainabilityoftheentiresupplychainowesmuchtotheeffortsmadeupstreamtolimittheenergyneededtoproduceandprocessthematerialsandtoenhancetheperformanceofthemainingredients.

Forsomeapplications,thishasbeenachievedthroughtheintroductionoffibresthatmeltatlowtemperaturesandcanbebondedtogetherthermallywithmuchlessenergy.Naturalfibres,recycledPET,andbiomaterialsareincreasinglybeingemployedwheretheirselectionmakessustainablesense.Majorinnovationsinrawmaterialshavenotonlyimprovedtheperformanceofexistingproducts,theyhavealsoenabledthecreationofentirelynewproductsthatcouldnothaveexistedotherwise.

Converters

Theconversionofnonwovensandothercomponentsintofinishedgoodsisacriticalpartofthesupplychain.Byessencethisisan

energyefficientprocess.Convertersfacethechallengeofbeingattheendofthesupplychain,attheinterfacebetweenindustryandawiderangeofotherstakeholders,includingconsumersandretailers.

Machinery builders

Theequipmentusedtoproducenonwovens,filmsandothercomponentsandtoconvertthemintofinishedgoodsandpackagethemfordeliverytothefinaluserplaysakeyroleinthesupplychain,andhasbeeninstrumentalinenablinginnovation.Machineryproducershaveconsistentlyworkedwiththeusersoftheirequipmenttomakethemmoreenergyefficientandtoenabletheproductionofmaterialsthatareaslightaspossible,withmaximumperformance.Thediversityandversatilityoftheentiresupplychainforthenonwovensandrelatedindustriesareasimportantasthepropertiesofthenonwovensthemselvesandtheproductsthataremadeofthem.

Research institutes, test labs and consultants

Thecreationofinnovativesolutionsandefforttodomorewithlessrequiresinnovationfromindustry.Researchinstitutesplayakeyroleinprovidingtheenergyandknowledgetodothisandhavecontributedtomakingthenonwovensandrelatedindustriesoneofthemostinnovativeandhigh-techsectors.EDANAhassupportedthenonwovensandrelatedindustriesthroughthedevelopmentoftestmethodstoevaluatetheperformanceofproducts.Testlaboratoriesplayaninstrumentalroleintheassessmentandoptimisationofproductperformance,therebyprovidingadditionalproductbenefitsandreducingtheresourcesneededtoachievedesiredresults.

Diapers

Polyethyleneterephthalate

Machinerybuilders

Researchinstitutes


G. KEY APPLICATIONS

Comfort and convenience: Hygiene

Modernabsorbenthygieneproducts(AHPs)havemadeanimportantcontribution tothequalityoflifeandskinhealth ofmillionsofpeople.UsersofAHPs (i.e.babydiapers,femininehygieneproductsandadultincontinenceproducts)benefitfromthesoftness,smoothness,leakageprevention,strengthandprotection providedbynonwovensincombination withothermaterialssuchaspulpand superabsorbentpolymers.

TheabsorbenthygieneproductsindustryinEuropeiscommittedtotheconceptofsustainabilityandworkshardtomakeapositivecontributiontoallaspectsofsustainability,betheysocial,environmentaloreconomic.Sincewebeganreportingontheindustry’ssustainabilityperformance in2005,measurableimprovementshavebeenshown.

Kind to seeds and shoots: Agriculture

Nonwovensareusedeffectivelyforoptimisingtheproductivityofcrops,gardensandgreenhouses.Theirprotectivenaturereducestheneedforpesticidesandkeepsmanuallabourtoaminimum.Theuseofnonwovencropcoversonthelandincreasesyieldsandimprovesthequalityofthecrops.Light,flexiblesheetslaidoverseedbedscreateamicroclimatewhereheatandhumidityarecontrolled.Plantgrowthisaccelerated,andtheyareprotectedfromadverseweatherconditionsandvermin.Incapillarymatapplications,nonwovenspromotethehealthygrowthofflowersandvegetablesingreenhouses.

Safer motoring: Automotive

Theuseofnonwovensinautomotiveapplicationshasincreasedsubstantiallyinrecentyears.Todaymorethan40automotivepartsaremadewithnonwovenfabrics,fromtrunklinersandcarpetstoairandfuel

filters.Byincorporatingessentialpropertieswhicharenecessaryforgoodperformanceandsafety,nonwovenshelpreducetheweightofthecar,enhancethecomfortandaestheticsandprovideadvancedinsulation,fireretardancyandresistancetowater,fuels,extremesoftemperatureandabrasion.Nonwovensareeasytohandleduringassembly.Theyaretailor-madefortheirfunctionandcanbeheatformed,embossed,lined,coatedandprinted.Inshort,theycontributetomakingcarssafer,moreattractive,longer-lasting,morecost-effectiveandmoresustainable.Theyarealsowidelyusedinthedesignandconstructionofothervehiclesincludingplanes,trains,boats,spacecraft,andsatellites.

Keeping in shape: Interlinings

Usedformanydecadesinhidden,supportfunctions,suchasinterliningsandcomponentsofshoesandbags,today’sdesignersusenonwovensasacreativeandversatilenewmaterial.

Theirsuccessliesintheirversatilityandalsotheabilitytoengineermanydifferentpropertiesintothem,suchasshaperetention,adaptationtothecharacteristics oftheouterfabricandlightnessinweight.

For the bricks and mortar: Construction

Inthecontextofvolatileoilpricesandregulationfortheenergyefficiencyofbuildings,recyclabilityofconstructionmaterials,andfireresistance,nonwovensprovidecost-effectivesolutionstobuildingandconstructionchallenges.Inthistypeofapplication,durability,strengthandinsulationpropertiesmakenonwovensamaterialofchoice,atthesametimeincreasingperformanceandextendingthelifespanofbuildings.Forexample,non-perforated,nonwovenpolymerichousewrapmaterialdecreasesairinfiltration,resultinginincreasedenergyefficiencyandmaximummoisturecontrol,providingsavingsforboththebuilderduringinstallation,andthehomeownerafterwards.

Nonwovensarealsoemployedinboth theflatandpitchedroofingmarkets. Increasinglydemandingbuildingstandards,energy-savingschemesandchangingweatherpatternsaredrivingtheneedforbreathableandimperviousunderlaysfor

Floorunderlay

Hygieneproducts

Cropcovers

Carseats


pitchedroofsandanimprovedbaseforbituminousmembranes,bothofwhichcanbestbeservedwithversatilenonwovens.Thegrowthpotentialfornonwovensintheconstructionindustryincludestheiruseasfacingsforplasterboardforincreasedthermalandsoundinsulation,forpanelsincavitywalls,andforfloorandwallcoverings.Theywillhaveasignificantparttoplayintheweather-proofingandinsulationofexistingbuildingstock.

Home comforts: Household

Nonwovensareusedinamultitudeofhouseholdapplicationsrangingfromcleaningandfiltering,toaddinganaesthetictouchtothehome.Usedinbedrooms,kitchens,diningroomsandlivingrooms,highperformancenonwovenscreatecomfortable,practical,hygienicandbeautifulsolutionsformodernliving.

Nonwovensinthehomefurnishingindustryareevolvingfromuseintraditionalapplicationssuchasupholstery,floorcoverings,underlayandblanketstoinnovative,smartsolutionswhichimproveandprotectinteriors.

In good health: Medical

Nonwovensareextensivelyusedinthemedicalfieldandinprotectionagainstbiologicalagentsinothersectors. Theycanbedesignedtodelivercriticalsafetyproperties,suchasprotectionagainstinfectionsanddiseases,forthebenefit ofboththehealthcareprofessionaland thepatient.

Withtoday’smulti-drugresistantstrainsofbacteriaandviruses,nonwovensareessentialinthefightagainstcross-contamination,andthespreadofinfectioninamedicalorsurgicalenvironment.Becausetheyareusedonlyonceandincineratedafteruse,theneedforhandlingisavoidedandthespreadofcontaminantsisminimised.Nonwovensarealsoincreasinglyamajorcomponentinthedesignof‘smart’woundcareproductsandimplantabledevices.

Cleaner air and water: Filtration

Efficient,highperformancefiltershelpprotecttheenvironmentandimproveliving

conditionsbydeliveringcleanerwaterandairtoourcommunities,regardlessofwheretheylive.Asfiltrationmedia,nonwovensareincreasinglyreplacingtraditionalcelluloseorfibreglass-basedfilters.

Asoneofthefastestgrowingsegmentsinthenonwovensindustry,filtrationischaracterisedbydozensofend-useareasandapplications.Nonwovenscanbeengineeredtomeetexactspecificationsandstringentregulatoryrequirementsforthefiltrationofair,liquidandgasandinmanycasesarethemediumofchoice.

For busy lifestyles: Wipes

Nonwovenwipesprovidestrengthandsoftness,hygieneandconvenience.Overthepastdecadeanincreasinglydiverserangeofpersonalhygienewetwipeshasbecomeavailable.Theappealofsingle-usewetwipesinboththeconsumerandhealthcaremarketsisprimarilydowntoconvenienceandeaseofuse,andsupportedbytheirabilitytocleantheskinorenvironment,andthenbedisposedof–controllingbacteria,andprovidingacleanerskinorhomeenvironment.Bymodifyingthebasematerialandliquidtypes,manufacturersareabletotailorthephysicalpropertiesoffinishedproductstospecificuserneeds.Wipesarealsousedforavarietyofapplicationsinindustryincludingfoodserviceandindustrialandspecialisedcleaningoperations.

Structural stability: Geotextiles

Tensilepropertiesandlongevityareoftheutmostimportanceforgeotextileproductsandtheiruseinconstructionprojects.Throughutilisationofnewproductiontechnologydevelopmentsforimproving thepropertiesingeotextilesithas,in recentyears,beenpossibletoreducethe weightofgeotextileproductsbyupto 10%whilemaintainingtherequired performanceproperties.

Geotextiles

Cleaningwipes

Infectionprevention

Airfilters


EDANAispromotingsustainabilitythroughtheintegrationofenvironmental,socialandeconomicconsiderationsintoallaspectsofourpoliciesandactivities.Inordertocontributetoamoresustainableindustryweacknowledgeandconsidertheimpactofourdecisionsandactionsbeyondthegatesofcompaniesandthebordersofoursupplychain,andrecognisethatcontinuousimprovementisessential.

PROMOTINGSUSTAINABILITY:ACTIVE ON ALL FRONTS

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A. LIFE WITH NONWOVENS: COMMUNICATING THE BENEFIT

In2013EDANAlaunchedafull-spectrumsustainabilitystudywiththesupportofitsmembercompaniesandDenkstatt,aninternationally-respectedconsultancyinthefieldofsustainabilityheadquarteredinVienna,Austria.

The‘LifewithNonwovens’studyconsidersallthreedimensionsofsustainabilityviaaseriesofcasestudiesindifferentapplicationsectorsofnonwovens.Fortheselectedcasestudies,importantprimarydataforthetotallifecycle,includingproduction,use,andend-of-lifephaseswerecollected,representativeofEuropeanconditions.

Theuseofnonwovenshasincreasedsubstantiallyinrecentyearsandtheirbenefitsarepresentinalmosteveryaspectofmodernlife.Nonwovensprovideamultitudeofbenefitstosocietyasawhole.

Diapers,incontinenceandfemininehygieneproductsmakeahugecontributiontothecomfortandconvenienceofgoodhygieneformillionsofpeopleonadailybasis.Nonwovensurgicalgownsanddrapeshelppreventinfectionintheoperatingtheatre,whilestate-of-the-artshort-useprotectivesuitsandmasksprotectagainsthazardousdustsandchemicals.Nonwovenfiltermediacanimproveboththepurityofwaterand airquality,whileabsorbentnonwovens helpcleanupoilspillsandgeotextiles makeourroadslastlonger,andbuildings performbetter.

Acarbonfootprintmodelwasdevelopedbasedonthecasestudies,andthecalculationsmadecoverthetotallife-cycleofproduction(includingtheproductionanddeliveryofrawmaterialsandfuels),aswellaseffectsinuseandwastemanagement.Emissiondatawerecalculatedforproduction,use,andwastemanagement perkgorm²ofproductmadeforeach selectedapplication.

Economicdatawasalsocollectedandcostcalculationsmade,andthesocialaspectsofusingnonwovensaredescribedqualitatively.

Basedonthisstudy,EDANAhasgeneratedaseriesofinfographicshighlightingthebenefitsofnonwovenstosocietyasawholeineachoftheapplicationareascoveredintheDenkstattReport:



Geotextiles: Road construction

Nonwovensusedinroadconstructionmeanastrongerroad,whichcanbemanufacturedwithfewermaterials.

Bylettingwaterpassthroughthenonwovenlayer,thiskeepsothermaterialsfromslippingaway.

Bybeinglighter,thinnerandmoreresource-efficientthangravel,nonwovengeotextilesofferbothanenvironmentalbenefit,andcostsavings.

AROUND 750 KM2

OF GEOTEXTILE NONWOVENS (THE EQUIVALENT OF MORE THAN 185,000 FOOTBALL FIELDS) ARE MANUFACTURED AND SOLD EVERY YEAR. 60% OF THIS IS USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS.

NONWOVENS

GRAVEL


Crop covers

Nonwovensprotectcrops,whichmeansmoreefficientagriculturalproduction.

Byincreasingtheproductionandlimitingdamagetocrops,nonwovensensurethatwhatisgrowninthefieldcounts.

Twotypesofcropcoversareused,toeitherprotectthefruitorvegetablewhileit’sgrowingonthefield,ortoprotecttheproduceonceit’sbeenharvested.

Nonwovencropcoverscanalsobeusedagainandagain,makingtheiruseeven morevaluable.

Limitingexposuretofrost,wind,rain,hail,andanimals(bothbigandsmall),nonwovensofferprotectionfortheproduceand farmeralike.

AROUND

1,840 MILLION M2OF NONWOVENS FOR CROP COVERS (THE EQUIVALENT OF 40,000 TONNES) ARE MANUFACTURED AND SOLD EVERY YEAR.


NONWOVENS ARE

USED IN 37 DIFFERENT VEHICLE COMPONENTS,A NUMBER SET TO FURTHER INCREASE

Automotive: Lightweight fabrics for vehicles

Nonwovensareusedinmanypartsofacar,includingtemperatureandsoundinsulation,seating,linersfortheroofandwheel arches,andliningsandcarpetsthroughout thevehicle.

Nonwovensreplaceheaviermaterials,meaninglightercarswhichuselessfuel,generatinglessgreenhousegasemissions.Thisleadstoimprovedairquality,savingresourcesandbetterhealthforpeople.

Moreefficientproductionisalsoachievedwiththeuseofrecycledpolyesterinseating,flooring,liningsandinsulation,meaningafurtherreductionoftheenvironmentalimpactofnonwovensandthecarstheyareusedin.


Automotive filtration

Nonwovenfilterscanbefoundinmanyapplicationsinyourcar,includingcleaningcabinair,fuel,motoroilandtheengine airintake.

Theyaremadeofcellulosicpulp,polyester,glassfibresoracombinationofall.

Nonwovenfiltersaremoreefficienttoproduce,smaller,lighteranddon’tneedtobechangedasoftenasotherfilters.Mostofall,theymakeeverykilometreyoudrive moreefficient.

Withouthighperformancenonwovens,manyrecentinnovationstomakecarscleanerandmoreefficientwouldnothavebeenpossible.Thankstononwovens,today’sefficientmotortechnologymeansfuelsavingsandlesspollution,contributingtocleanerairandbetterhealthforallpeople.

NONWOVEN FILTERS CONTRIBUTE TO

MAKING VEHICLES MORE EFFICIENT


ThesocialpillarofsustainabilityhasbecomemoreimportantinEDANAmembers’approachtosustainability.Thiscanbeexplainedbyseveralfactors,includingaconsciousdecisionbycompaniestoemphasisesocialaspectsinordertobeclosertoconsumersbydemonstratingtheiraddedvaluetosociety.Overall,abetterbalancebetweenthevariouscomponentsofsustainabilityeffortscouldindicatethatcompaniesaretakingsustainabilitytothenextlevel,withastrongerintegrationinday-to-dayoperationsandmorecommunication,includingthroughsocialmedia.

EDANA AND ITS MEMBER COMPANIES SEE

SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY AS AN AREA OF INCREASED FOCUS AND IMPORTANCE

B. EDANA SUSTAINABILITY SURVEY

Followingthetwoprevioussustainabilityengagementsurveysconductedin2009and2012,EDANArepeatedthisexercisein2014toreportontrendsamongitsmembercompaniesandbetterunderstandanddeliveronneedsandexpectationsinthefieldofsustainability.61companiesrespondedtothissurvey,amarkedincreasefromthepreviouseditions.RespondentswerespreadacrossapplicationsfornonwovensandrelatedproductsandoverallveryrepresentativeofEDANA’stotalmembership,withcompaniesfromallpartsofthe valuechain.


Sustainabilityisnowincreasinglyintegratedinthefullcycleofoperations,fromproductdevelopmenttomarketing.Thisconfirmsthatcompaniesfocusonefficiencyinallaspectsofaproductandalsoindicatesthatfromtheearlystagesofproductdevelopmentthebenefitsoftheproductareevaluatedsotheycanbeleveragedinmarketingandcommunicationactivities. Alesseremphasisonrawmaterialssourcingfromasustainabilityperspectiveismostlikelyduetothefactthatcompanieshavealreadymadesignificanteffortstoevaluaterawmaterialsasthisisalogicalplacetostartwhenlookingtomakeoperationsmoreefficient,andcompaniesgraduallymoveontootherfunctionssuchasproduction.

Intermsofkeydriversforsustainability,amajorshiftcanbeobservedfromconsumerstocustomers.Thisispartlyduetoa higherlevelofparticipationofcompanies operatinghigherupinthevaluechain,on astrictlybusiness-to-businessplatform. Howeverthisalsoconfirmsthatwherecompanieswererespondingtoatypicallyvaguenotionofpopulardemandforsustainabilityafewyearsago,theyhavenow

setuproutinecommunicationswiththeircustomersandfocusonconcrete,operationaspectsofsustainability.Sustainabilityisincreasinglypartofcorporatepolicy. Theimportanceofstakeholdergroupse.g.non-governmentalorganisations(NGOs)isgrowingastheyareincreasinglysuccessfulatusingsocialmediaandtraditionalcommunicationtoolstomobiliseconsumers.Localgovernmentisincreasinglyawareofsustainabilityaspects,theimplementationofenvironmentallegislationatlocallevelismorerigorousandsustainabilityaspectsareincreasinglyintegratedinpublicprocurementpolicy.

SUSTAINABILITY IS PART OF

ALL AREAS OF OPERATIONS IN MOST COMPANIES


Certificationbodies,althoughstillthemostfrequentlyquotedaskeysustainabilitystakeholders,seemtobelessatthecentre ofthefocusofcompanies,whichisalso normalasoncecertificationissecured, managementofnewproductsandrenewalofcertificatesrequirelessfrequentinteraction.Non-governmentalorganisations(NGOs)andcompaniesareincreasingengagingindiscussionsonsustainability-relatedtopics.Asdiscussedearlierondriversforsustainability,NGOsareincreasinglypowerful.Inmanycasestheyhavealsobecomemoreprofessionalandpragmatic,shiftingtheirapproachawayfromextremeandemotional,whichhasmadeitpossibleforcompaniestoengageinconstructivedialogueandinanincreasingnumberofcasesestablishpartnerships.

Challenges

EDANAmembersfaceanumberofsustainability-relatedchallenges,rangingfromglobalfactorsimpactingallindustriestoissueswithinthevaluechainandspecifictononwovensandrelatedproducts.Oneofthemainchallengesisthelackofconsistencyofneedsandexpectationsfromoneregiontothenext,butalsothelackofharmonisationintermsofdefinitions,standardsandregulationsinthefieldofsustainability.Overallrespondentsfeltthattherearesignificantandgrowingconstraintsbothexternalandfromwithinthevaluechain,leadingtochallengingcircumstancesforcompanies.

Opportunities

EDANAmembersseesustainabilityasanimperativetomaintainthelicenseforindustrytooperatewithinsociety.Theyalsoseesustainabilityasadriverofbenefitsforcompaniesinitself(efficiencies)butalsothroughpositivesynergiesandindirectbenefitssuchasnewmarketopportunities,increasedinnovation,betterperceptionofthecompanyandmoreengagementwithpartnersinthevaluechain.

Thevastmajorityofexamplesgivenforsocialsustainabilityactionsconsistof‘traditional’activitiesrelatedtothecontributionofcompaniestolocalcommunities,orinternalmeasuresfocusedonemployees.Afewexamplesillustratearecenttrendforcompaniestoinnovatebyusingnewproductstoaddresspressingissuesandgeneratedirectbenefitsforsociety,e.g.theprovisionofwaterfilterswheredrinkingwaterisnotsafe.


C. INDEX™ 14 AWARDS EXPANDED

TheINDEX™InnovationAwardsarestagedeverythreeyearsaspartofEDANA’sindustry-leadingglobalexhibitionheldinGeneva,Switzerland.

INDEX™washeldfromApril8-112014andtheInnovationAwardshavebeenexpandedtoincludetwocategorieswhichspecificallyrecognisethesustainableachievementsofourmembers–themostSustainableProduct,aswellasthemostSustainableProcessorManagementPractice.

Thewinnersofthe2014editionwere: — TJ Beall Company withTrueCotton™,anon-scoured,non-bleached100%naturalgreigecottonnonwovenforwoundhealingandhygienicproductapplications.

— AhlstromwiththeFlow2Save™,afiltermediacreatedtosaveenergyandtakeindoorairqualitytothenextlevel.

D. SYMPOSIUM: CONSIDERING RENEWABLE RAW MATERIALS

EDANA’srecentone-daysymposiumontheuseofrenewablerawmaterialsinnonwovensandrelatedproducts,wasattendedby27participantsrepresenting 18EDANAmembercompaniesfrom 13countries.

SpeakersincludedadelegatefromtheEuropeanCommissionwhooutlinedthesignificanceoftheEU’sHorizon2020andBioeconomyStrategy.

Thedevelopmentoftherenewablerawmaterialsindustryinsuccessivewaveswasoutlinedandfurthersourcingfromnon-foodbiomassisanticipated,inadditiontothewideradoptionoflignin-basedchemistry.

Thechemicalandpolymerindustry’soverallgoalistoincreaseresourceefficiencywhilereducingresourceintensity,whichsuggeststheuseofsustainably-sourcedrenewableresourcesandlowenergybiotechprocesseswhereverpossible,butitwillbelargelyuptoindustrytomovethingsforward.

Pulpisanexampleofarenewablematerialwherecertificationsystemshavebeendevelopedinordertoassurethatthemanagementandsourcingoftherawmaterialisperformedinasustainableway.

Whilestillinitsinfancy,thebioplasticsindustryfacesfarmorechallengestogrowththantheconventionalplasticsindustryhaseverexperienced,andoilandgasareunlikelytobeasscarceorexpensiveaspreviouslyassumedinthecomingyears,asaresultofinitiativessuchasfracking,deepseaoildrilling,tarsands,shalegasetc.

Awiderangeofinitiativeshighlightingfurtheropportunitiesforbio-basednonwovensandpromotedbyEDANAmembercompanieswerepresentedat thesymposium.


EDANArecognisestheimportanceofresponsibleadvertisingandmarketingonproductsasanessentialwayofinformingcustomersandconsumersaboutthecharacteristicsandqualitiesoftheirproducts.Assuch,ourmember companiescommittoensuringthat environmentalclaims:

• Complywithallrelevantregulatory frameworks;

• Aresincere,truthfulandnotvague ormisleading;

• Allowcustomersandconsumerstomake informedchoices;

• Promotefaircompetition;and

• Aimtopreventclaimsthatmaybeunfair ormisleading.

E. GUIDANCE: EFFECTIVE ENVIRONMENTAL CLAIMS

InJune2014EDANApublisheditsfirstEnvironmentalClaimsGuidelines,specificallydesignedforthenonwovensandrelatedindustriesbyadedicatedgroupofexpertsfrommembercompanies.

Thesedemonstrateacommitmenttoapplyingthehigheststandardsofresponsibility,representinggoodbusinesspracticetobefollowedonavoluntarybasis.

Theguidelinesareaimedatprovidingusefulinformationforthosemakingself-declaredclaimsinenvironmentalstatements,graphicsorimagery(i.e.madewithoutindependentthird-partycertification),butalsoprovidegoodpracticeforanytypeofclaimincludingthirdpartycertificationandlabels.

Theguidelinesaredesignedasalivingdocumentandwillbereviewedevery twoyears.


F. EXPERTPANEL: CONSIDERING FUTURE WASTE MANAGEMENT

Thekeyaimsoftherecenttwo-dayRightforHygieneExpertPanelonWastewereto:

• Fullyunderstandthefuturedevelopment ofwastemanagementmethodsand possiblewaysforabsorbenthygiene products(AHPs)andwipestoaccompany thisdevelopmenttoreinforceefficiencies;

• Identifyopportunitiesforindustryto takefurtheractiontoensuresustainable managementofwaste;

• Gaininsightintowhicharethekeyplayers ourindustryshouldpartnerwith;and

• Gaininsightonthecurrentandfuture compatibilityofAHPsandwipeswith majorwastemanagementtechnologies andidentifyareasforfurtherimprovement.

AnoverviewofthevariousAHPsandtheirpropertiesrevealedthatoverthepast25years,theweightofanaveragebabydiaperhasbeenreducedbymorethan44%. Butatthesametime,AHPsarebecomingmorevisibleinthewastestreamduetoincreasedsortingandcollectionofothermaterialsandAHPscanalsoweighuptofivetimestheirdryweightatdisposal.

PerspectivesonvariouswastedisposalmethodsandtheiradvantagesanddisadvantagesfrombothcountrieswithinEuropeandfromacrosstheglobewerepresentedbyspecialistsinthisfield.

TheEuropeanUnion’sLandfillDirectivewasissuedtomemberstatesin1999,withtheaimofpreventingorreducing,asfar

aspossible,thenegativeeffectsontheenvironmentfromthelandfillingofwaste.

ThislegislationhashadimportantimplicationsforwastehandlinganddisposalandincinerationforenergyrecoveryisemergingastheforerunnerinavailableoptionswithinEuropealthoughtherearesignificantdifferencesbetweencountries.

Therearealsomanygoodpracticesindevelopingcountries,wherewastefromAHPsandwipesneedstobetreatedwithlowertechnologycomparedtoEurope.Answerscouldbefoundbasedonsimplesolutionsandexistingstructures.

Thepanelconcludedthatthereisaneedtoreviewthedefinitionofsustainabilityfor theAHPandwipesindustriesandthat infuture,itcouldplayaroleinthedevelopmentofadetailedoverviewofwastemanagementoptions.



G. ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCT DECLARATIONS

SeveralmembersofEDANAactivelyuseEnvironmentalProductDeclarations(EPD®)oftheInternationalEPD®Systemtodetermineandcommunicatetheenvironmentalimpactoftheirproducts. Aprerequisitefordoingthisistheexistence

ofProductCategoryRules(PCR),whichdefinethecriteriaandmethodologyemployedtoevaluatetheenvironmentalimpactofaproduct.

Theserulesaredevelopedthroughanopenconsensus-basedstakeholderconsultation,andarethenreviewedbyanexpertTechnicalCommittee.ThePCRareusedtomanageenvironmentalproductdeclarations.

DEFINING BOUNDARIES AND DESIGNING

TOOLS TO EFFECTIVELY EVALUATE AND CERTIFY SUSTAINABILITY


EDANAhascoordinatedthedraftingofPCRforabsorbenthygieneproducts,ensuringthattheapproachusedtodeterminetheirenvironmentalimpactintheframeworkofanenvironmentalproductdeclarationisrealisticandscience-based.Inpractice,

theseruleshavealsobeenusedingreenpublicprocurementorecolabellingwhenestablishingwhatareimportantpartsofthelifecycleforthesetypesofproducts.

H. SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFICATION OF ABACA FIBRES

Asaresultofdiscussionsinitiatedand co-ordinatedbyEDANA,membercompaniesarenowactiveinacooperationwiththeRainforestAllianceinthePhilippinesforthesustainableproductionofabacafibre.

AbacaisakeyrawmaterialintheproductionofwetlaidnonwovensforteabagsandwidelygrowninthePhilippines.Pulpderivedfromtheabacaplantprovidesarapidlyrenewablesourceoffibreforhigh-qualitypaper. Afterharvesting,itrenewsitselfuptoeighttimesmorequicklythanmosttreesthatareusedforwoodpulpandreducestheneed forfertilizers.

TheRainforestAllianceiswellrecognisedinthefieldofsustainableagricultureandasustainableabacacertificationschemehasnowbeenestablished,followingaseriesoftrainingsessionswithlocalfarmers,cooperatives,exportersandtraderstogenerateinterest.

Thecreationofthecertificationschemewillgreatlycontributetothegrowthofabacaasaresourceformoresustainablematerialsandwillalsoconsiderablystabilisetheabacafibremarket.TherapiddevelopmentofthisnewcertificationschemeisvitaltoensurethefutureofabacafibreasarawmaterialandapremiumperkiloofcertifiedproductsisnowbeinggrantedbyEDANAmembers.

OneabacaproductionfacilityinthePhilippinesnowsupportstheworkof100,000farmersandtheirfamilies. Inadditiontoprovidingemploymentandfaircompensation,itisalsohelpingsupporttheconstructionandrenewalofcommunityprojectssuchasschoolsandclinics.

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LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENTS7.

ThefirstEDANALCAprojectstartedinJune1993,with66membercompaniesparticipating.Thesingle-usediaperwaschosenasreferencefortheprojectsinceitinvolvedthemostEDANAmembersatthevariousstagesofthevaluechain.

Thisinitialprojectestablished:

• AcommonapproachtoLCAmethodology;

• Theadoptionofasoftwaresystem forcalculations;

• Theestablishmentofadatabaserelevant toeachcompany;and

• Abaselineforeachcompanytomeasure futureproductandprocessimprovements.

ThecompaniesinvolvedconfirmedthatwhatwascrucialtothesuccessoftheLCAmethodwastheabilitytocollectreliabledata.

Thisrequiredamajorcontributionfromthesuppliersinrespectofalloftherawmaterialsinvolved,whichhassubsequentlybeenratifiedandemployedinthedevelopmentoftheadvancedSupplierStandardswhichhavebeenestablishedbythemajorconsumercompaniesinbabydiapersandotherproducts.

Theresultisthattodaythereisahighdegreeoftransparencywithinthesesupplychainsandthereisadeepandthoroughknowledgewithinindustryabouttheimportantenvironmentalimpactsofabsorbent hygieneproducts.

MembersofEDANAwereactiveveryearlyinLifeCycleAssessment(LCA)studies–thefirstEDANALCAworkshopheldin1992attractedover100delegatesfrommorethan60EDANAmembercompanies.

EDANA AND ITS MEMBERS HAVE BEEN

PIONEERS IN LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENTS SINCE 1992


ThelatestEDANALCAstudyonbabydiaperproductsshowsthattheweightofanaveragebabydiaperhasbeenreducedbynearly50%,from65gramsin1987tojust33gramsin2013.Thishasbeen

OthersubsequentLCAscarriedoutbyEDANAhaveincluded:

• Anecoprofileofpolyesternonwovensfor roofingmembranes;

• Lifecycledataforincontinenceproducts;

• Wastemanagementalternatives fordiapers;

• Atrendanalysisoftheenvironmental performanceofbabydiapersand incontinenceproducts;

• ALifeCycleAssessmentof superabsorbentpolymer(SAP);and

• FurtherLCAsonbothbabyand industrialwipes.

EDANAhasmostrecentlyconductedLCAsforbothbabydiapersandincontinenceproducts,updatingaprevious2005LCATrendAnalysis.Bothproductcategoriesshowdifferentdevelopmentsintermsofproductdesignwithareducedenvironmentalimpact.

Forbabydiapers,alargerweightdecreasewasobserved.Thetypeofincontinenceproductschoseninthissecondfollow-up (all-in-oneincontinenceproducts)areinfluencedbytestmethodsinpublicprocurementpoliciesandnationalreimbursementschemes,whichmakeweightreductionabiggerchallenge.However,forthefullassortmentofincontinenceproductsonthemarket,

awidevarietyofproducttypes,suchaslightincontinenceproducts,beltedproductsandpantproductsensuresthattheindustrycanprovideproductsbestsuitedfortheintendedpurpose,resultinginanefficientuse ofresources.

achievedthroughmanychangesinproductdesignandthereduceduseofpulpandPE(polyethylene)films.ConsistentwithpreviousdiaperLCAstudies,theproductionofrawmaterialsisthekeydriverbehindall

environmentalindicators,makingproductweightreductionthemethodofchoice toimprovetheenvironmentalprofile ofproducts.


BABY DIAPERS

SUSTAINABILITY REPORT32. SUSTAINABILITY REPORT32.

LCA RESULTS FOR BABY DIAPERS

SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 33.SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 33.

BETWEEN 1987 AND 2013 PRODUCERS OF BABY DIAPERS IN EUROPE ACHIEVED A

REDUCTION IN WEIGHT OF NEARLY 50%


LCA RESULTS FOR INCONTINENCE PRODUCTS


Theproductweightreductionisachievedbythereduceduseofpulp,PEfilmandotherpolymericmaterialssuchasadhesives andfasteningsystems.Tosomeextent, itiscounterbalancedwithanincreasein useofnonwovensandsuperabsorbents. Thesuperabsorbentsaddedareneededtokeeporevenimprovetheabsorptioncapacitywhenpulpistakenaway.

Takingintoaccountthecombinedeffectsofthevariousparameters,theimprovedenvironmentalperformancefortheall-in-oneproductbetween1995and2013rangedbetween10and72%.


ALL-IN-ONE INCONTINENCE PRODUCTS SHOW A WEIGHT REDUCTION OF

12% BETWEEN 1995 AND 2013


TAKING A LONG-TERM APPROACH8.

A. EMPLOYMENT AND REVENUE GENERATION: ADDING VALUE FOR EUROPE

IngreaterEurope(theEU27plusTurkeyandRussia),thenonwovensindustrygeneratedmorethan€6.3billioninrevenuesin2013andprovideddirectemploymentto24,000people.Thecompletevaluechainsurroundingnonwovensaccountsforsignificantlymorerevenuegenerationandhighlyqualifiedjobs.

Thenonwovensandrelatedindustriesisalsoagrowingsector.In2013theproductionofnonwovensingreaterEuropeincreasedby

2.0%involume,reaching2,044,215tonnes–over76,00040-tonnetrucksofproduct.TheproductionintheCommonwealthofIndependentStates(mainlyRussia,BelarusandUkraine)andTurkeycontinuedtogrow,respectivelyby+4.8%and+12.9%.

In2013severalmarketsegmentsrecordedtheirbestoutputever,despitesometimeslimitedgrowth;includinghygiene,wipesforpersonalcare,automotiveandfloorcoveringsin2013.Theperformanceofthesesectorsmorethancompensatedforaweakconstructionsector,negativelyimpactingsalesofnonwovensinroofing,building,andcivilengineering/undergroundapplications.

Theamountofnonwovenssoldtothepersonalcarewipesmarketshowedoneofthemostimportantgrowthratesin2013(+12.4%intonnesand+10.9%insurfacearea).Otherpositiveevolutions,inpercentage,wereobservedmainlyinmedical(+13.6%),air&gasfiltration(+7.7%),

garments(+6.4%)andautomotive(+4.1%).Negativedevelopmentswererecordedin2013inshoe/leathergoods(-14%)andinterlinings(-10.6%).Asofthe2013statistics,anewcategoryforthenonwovenusedinFood&Beverageapplicationshasbeenintroducedinourmarketsegmentation andhasbeenestimatedatmorethan 63,000tonnes.

Nonwovensarebecominglighterandlighter:theproductioninsurfacearea,whichhadincreasedalreadyby5.0%in2011and3.1%in2012,continuedtogrowfasterthantheoutputinweight;anincreaseof2.9%toreachalevelof59,833millionin2013. In2013,theaveragegrammage(weight persurfacearea)showedagainaslight decrease,fromaround34.44g/m²in2012 to34.17g/m².33.7%ofthepolyesterused innonwovensisrecycledPET,amounting to145,200tonnesfromatotalof 431,400tonnes.


B. FUTUREGROWTH: TAKING FULL RESPONSIBILITY

Futuretrendssuchaspopulationgrowth,theincreasingspendingpowerofthemiddleclassinemergingeconomiesandageingpopulationsindevelopedeconomies,suggestthatthenonwovensindustryispoised forsignificantgrowthinthefuture. Embeddingprinciplesofresponsiblegrowthinourindustrywillbeessentialtomaintainingourlicensetooperate.

Ourindustryhasplacedsignificantfocusondevelopingsustainableandmoreenvironmentallysoundproductsasit lookstogrowthinmarketsinAsiaand SouthAmerica.

C. SUPPORTING FREE AND FAIR TRADE

EDANAsupportsfreeandfairtrade. Asanindustryweareinfavourofremovingobstaclestotrade,whethertheybetariffornon-tariffbarrierssuchastechnicalspecifications,standardsoradministrativeproceduresmakingitmoredifficulttoimportnonwovensorrelatedproducts.

Thisdoesn’tmeanwesupporttheunilateraleliminationoftariffs.Webelievethatfreetradeshouldresultfromalignmentonthelowesttarifflevelsbetweentwoblocks,eitherspontaneously(whichisuncommon),orthroughtransparentnegotiationsbetweentradingpartners,asillustratedbythemanytradenegotiationsbetweentheEuropeanUnionandnumerouscountries,includingtheUS,Japan,andIndiatonamejustthree.

WeareverypleasedtohavereachedconsensuswithourpartnersfromJapan.WiththeEU-USandEU-CanadaFTAsalsoliberalisingtradeinnonwovensandEU-Indianegotiationshopefullysoonunderway,ournextbigprioritiesareChinaandtheMercosurcountries(Argentina,Brazil,Paraguay,Uruguay,andVenezuela)whosetariffsonnonwovensarestillatunjustifiablyhighlevels.

Inadditiontosupportingsuchnegotiations,EDANAalsoworksinthefieldofproducttestingandstandardsandcoordinateswithitsmembercompaniesinmanymarketstoharmonisethewayinwhichproductsareassessedandfacilitateaccesstomarkets.

BETWEEN 2005 AND 2013 THE PRODUCTION OF NONWOVENS FOR GREATER EUROPE HAS

GROWN 3.8% IN WEIGHT AND 5.7% IN SURFACE AREA


D. HEALTHCARE BENEFITS: PREVENTING INFECTION

WitheverytenthpatientintheEUsaidtobeimpactedbyhealthcareassociatedinfections(HAIs),patientsafetyisatoppriorityforeveryhospital.

HAIscauseasignificantnegativeimpactonthelivesofpeople,oftencausingpatientstostayhospitalisedforprolongedperiodsandsufferadditionalpainanddiscomfort.Beyondthehumansufferingcaused,HAIshaveafinancialcosttothepatient,tothehealthcareinstituteandtonationalbudgets.

AccordingtotheEuropeanCentreforDiseasePreventionandControl,thedirectcostoftheseinfectionsisnow€7billioneachyear,ofwhich€1.2billionisattributabletosurgicalsiteinfections.Inorthopedicsurgery,suchaninfectioncanprolongthehospitalstaybytwoweeks,increasinghealthcarecostsbymorethan300%.

Single-usenonwoven-basedgownsanddrapesareextremelyeffectivetoolsinfightingHAIs.

During2013EDANAwelcomedanewreportpreparedbytheEuropeanCentreforDiseasePreventionandControlmakinganumberofrecommendationsfordealingwithHAIs.

Experiencehasshownthatinsurgerysingle-usesurgicalbarriermaterials–gloves,gowns,drapesandmasks–areakeyfactorinpreventingthetransferofmicro-organisms.AlthoughinEuropethemarketpenetrationofsingle-usegownsanddrapeshasreachedaround60-65%–taking

intoaccountgeographicaldifferences–thisisstillsignificantlylowerthanintheUSA.MorehastobedonetohelpincreasingthatpenetrationandthuscontributetoeffortsofbetterinfectioncontroltoreduceHAIs.

ThemissionofEDANA’sMEDECO(medicaldevices)Committeeisthereforetopromotethebenefitsofsingle-usenonwovenproductstodecisionmakers,influencersandend-usersinsurgery,woundmanagementandinfectioncontrol,andtopromotehighlevelsofproductsafetyandqualityinaccordancewithestablishedqualitystandards.

Thesignificanceofdisinfectingwipesandothernonwoven-basedcleaningmaterialsinfightingHAI’sshouldalsonotbeoverlooked.

E. GUARANTEEING SAFE PRODUCTS

Theprinciplethatourproductsmustbesafeforconsumers,employeesandtheenvironmentisparamount.Itguidesourselectionofrawmaterials,productdesign,manufacturingcommunicationsandconsiderationsrelevanttoproductdisposal.Inordertoensurethesafetyofproducts:

• Rawmaterialsarerigorouslyevaluated withthehelpofspecialisedlaboratories fortoxicologicalevaluation,skin compatibility,stabilityandageingtests;

• Duringdesign,productintegritytestsare undertakentosimulatein-useconditions;

• Finishedproductsundergoinspection forabsenceofcontaminationand microbiologicalsafetyisensuredbyquality assurancesystems;and


• Manufacturerscarryoutin-usetestingto ensuredermatologicalcompatibility.

Inadditiontoourindustry’svoluntarycommitmenttoproductsafety,wemustcomplywithallappropriatelegislation,technicalstandards,regulatoryprescriptionsandsafetyguidelines.Butourindustrydoesmorethanthis.Inadditiontosafetyevaluationprogrammes,companiescontinuouslymonitortheirproductsinuseandanyconcernsconsumersmayhaveinusingthem.Expertsareoftenconsultedtoensurethatallaspectsofsafetyareconsideredwhenmajorproductchangesarebeingundertakenoronthelaunchofnewproducts.Whereappropriate,clinicaltestsmaybeperformed.

F. TAKING A PRODUCT STEWARDSHIP APPROACH

OneofthekeyaspectsofEDANA’smissioninover40yearsofexistencehasbeentoprovideharmonisedtestmethods.Theseconstituteacommontechnicallanguageforallpartiestorefertowhendealingwithproductfeatures.Knowledgeoftheregulatoryrequirementsinvariouspartsoftheworldandmoreimportantly,supportingthedialoguebetweensuppliersandtheircustomersinthesupplychain,arevital.

Weencourageaproductstewardshipapproachamongourmembers. Nonwovensandnonwoven-basedproductsareusedandalmostuniversallyacceptedinawideportfolioofapplications.Highqualityandsafetyexpectationsfromconsumersandregulatorsandtheemergenceofnewand

complexregulationsacrosstheglobehaveaffectedthemarket.

Businesseswiththebestprospectsforsuccesswillbethosethatcanadaptquicklyandefficientlytothesenewrequirements.Itisnowmoreessentialthaneverforthenonwovensandrelatedindustriestoensureacontinuoussupplyofhigh-techandinnovativeproductsthatmeetthehighestqualityandsafetystandards.

EDANAsupportsthefurtherreductionoftheenvironmentalimpactofmanufacturing,distributionandadministrativeactivities.WeemployLifeCycleAssessment(LCA)techniquessothatactionscanbetaken toimproveenvironmentalperformance atallstagesoftheproductionprocess. InadditiontoourownLCAactivities,weworkwithregulatoryauthoritiestoensurethatenvironmentalstandardsarerigorousandmeaningful;wemeasureourperformanceagainstexternalstandardsandwe workwithotherstohelpfindnewand innovativesolutionstoreducingwastein thecommunity.

Inordertoimprovetheconsistencyandtheaccuracyofconsumerinformationonbabydiapers,EDANAdraftedconsumertestingguidelines.Theoverallobjectiveistoachieverelevantandfairtestsandreportsthroughbettercommunicationbetweenconsumertestingorganisationsandmanufacturers.Theguidelinesweredevelopedbyataskforceofmanufacturersofbabydiapersandtestlaboratories.


G. A LEVEL PLAYINGFIELD: HARMONISING TEST METHODS WORLDWIDE

EDANAactivelypromotestheharmonisationofproducttestmethodsatgloballevel. ThemostrecentillustrationofthiseffortistheacceptancebyISOtotaketheabsorptionbeforeleakagemethod(WSP354.0.R2)asaworkingitemforthecreationofaglobalstandardtotestadultincontinenceproducts.

Thisisanimportantdevelopmentforseveralreasons.Firstly,inconsistenciesbetweentestmethodsappliedinvariouscountriescreatebarrierstotrade,preventingourindustryfromgeneratingvaluefortheeconomy.Secondly,theuseofanISOtestbasedontheoreticalabsorbencyoftheproducts(RothwellMethodISO11948-1)inordertoqualifyforreimbursementinnationalsocialsecuritysystemshasledproducerstomakeproductsthatareheavierandlesseffective.Theintroductionofamethodwithamannequinthatismuchclosertotheactualuseoftheproductwillenablepatientstobenefitfromthinner,lighterandmoreeffectiveproductsthatarealsomuchmoreefficientandthereforegeneratealowerenvironmentalburdenasthousandsofincontinencesuffererswillbeabletousefewerandlighterproducts.Thiswillalsogeneratesocialbenefitsasincontinencesuffererswillenjoymorediscreetandeffectiveproductsallowingthemtoworkandbesociallyactive.Healthcarepersonnelwillalsobenefitfromtheincreasedconvenienceandfewerchangeswillenablethemtospendtimeonotheractivitiesratherthanchangingpatients.

H. COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE: QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL

Theroleplayedbynonwovensandrelatedproductsinimprovingthequalityoflifecannotbestressedenough.Theyareallaroundusandtheirbenefitsareoftentakenforgranted.

Single-usebabydiapershaveimprovedthequalityoflifeformillions.Astheproductofchoiceforover95%ofallfamiliesinEurope,theycontributetosocialprogressintermsofcomfort,convenience,areductioninhouseholdchoresandskinhealthbenefits.

Therecanbelittledoubtthattheconvenienceofsingle-usediapersisahugebenefittobusyparentsinaworldwheretimeisanincreasinglypreciousasset. Inlesseningtheburdenofdomesticchores,theyfreeparentstospendmoretimeonothervaluablefamilyandsocialactivities.

Theuseofsanitarynapkinsgreatlyimprovestheabilityoffemaleworkerstocontinuetoworkandpreventsinfections.Theprovisionofsanitarynapkinshasbeenassociatedwithimprovedmenstrualhygieneandareductioninreproductivetractinfections,inadditiontoreducingabsenteeism.

Indevelopingcountries,inadditiontotheoverallimprovementofqualityoflifeandhealthandhygienebenefits,theabilityforgirlstostayoninschoolhasapositiveimpactonthegrowthanddevelopmentoflocalcommunities,andtheireconomicdevelopmentandproductivity.

Inacontextofageingpopulations,incontinenceproductsareanimportanttoolinenablingthosewithincontinenceproblemstoworkandbeactive.

Nonwovensandrelatedproductsarepresentinmanyotherareassuchasfiltration,wheretheyhelpprovidecleanairandsafedrinkingwater,medicalapplicationswheretheyguaranteepatientsafetyandpreventinfectionandcontaminationoragricultureandpackaging,wherenonwovenshelppreventfoodfromgoingtowaste.


I. PREVENTING WASTE

EDANAprovidesaplatformforitsmemberstocommunicatetheireffortsinthefieldofsustainabilityandtosharebestpractices.Byreducingtheweightoftheproductsandatthetimeincreasingtheirperformance,nonwovensandrelatedproductsenablesignificantimprovementsinwastemanagement.Thankstolighterproducts,wasteisprevented,andmanynonwovenscanberecycledand/oraremadeof recycledmaterials.

Throughoutthevaluechain,companieshavemadesignificanteffortstoreducetheamountofwastegeneratedduringproductionandtolimittheweightofproductswhichinturnbecomewaste. Theexampleofabsorbenthygieneproductsshowsadrasticreductionoftheaverageweightofproducts.Today’sproductsaredesignedtoensuretheprudentandefficientuseofnaturalresources.

Wasteisachallengeatgloballevel. Withinthenonwovensandrelatedindustries,continuouseffortsaremadetoreduceproductionwasteandpost-consumerwastethroughthereductionoftheweightoftheproductswhilemaintainingorincreasingtheirperformance.

Giventhefactthatforeveryproductthereisalimittohowfarweightcanbereduced,otherpossibilitiesarebeingexplored,suchastheuseofalternativerawmaterials,compostablematerialsandrecycling.


EDANAwasactivelyinvolvedinthedevelopmentoftheEUEcolabelcriteriaforabsorbenthygieneproducts.EDANAanditsmembercompaniesthroughoutthehygienevaluechainwereabletoensurethatthecriteriaretainedfortheecolabelarescience-basedandrealistic.

EDANAcooperateswithTheSustainabilityConsortium(TSC),amulti-stakeholderplatformunitingretailers,producersandotherorganisationsthroughoutthesupplychaininordertomapthesustainabilityprofileofmostconsumerproducts.

EDANAcooperatedwithGroup’Hygiène,theFrenchassociationrepresentingabsorbenthygieneproductsandtissuepaper,toaddresstherequirementsmadebytheGrenelleframeworklegislationtoestablishreferencedocumentsforthecalculationofenvironmentalindicatorsforalargenumberofproducts.

Asaresultofthiswork,areferencedocumentwasadoptedforsingle-usebabydiapers,settingrulesforthecalculationofenvironmentalinformationonproducts.Ifbindingrequirementsareimplemented,requiringcompaniestopublishinformationontheenvironmentalimpactoftheproductinthefuture,theindustryhasensuredthatthecriteriausedforbabydiapersarerealisticandscientificallysound.

OnepositivebenefithasbeenthattheFrenchEnvironmentalAgencyhasproducedafactsheetwhichdrawssimilarconclusionstothosemadeinareportcompiledbyWRAP(theUKcharityorganisationWasteandResourcesActionProgramme)followingitsLCAin2008.BothFranceandtheUKnowsupportthepositionthatthereisabsolutelynoenvironmentalbenefittobegainedfromusingreusablehygienicproductsinplaceofsingle-useproducts.

DIRECTENGAGEMENT:BEING PROACTIVE

9.

Parallelindustries,NGOs,mediaandpolicybodiesareallintegraltousdeliveringvalue,andourroleasatradeassociation.EDANAanditsmembersworkwithotherindustriesandorganisationsinanopen,proactiveandtransparentmanner. Thiscontinuestoenablepotentialchallengestobeproactivelyaddressed,responsibilitytobetakenwherenecessary,andanactiveroleinsolvingsocial,economicorenvironmentalissuestobeplayed.WeplantocontinuedirectengagementwithretailersandkeyNGOstofurtherthesustainabilityagendafor ourindustry.


Thenonwovensandrelatedvaluechainscontinuetoworkonmakingourindustryevenmoresustainable.ThisworkisconductedbyindividualcompaniesworkingontheirproductsandprocessesandatindustrylevelintheframeworkofEDANA.Itbuildsonalong-standingtraditionofpioneeringeffortsinthefieldofLifeCycleAssessments(LCA)andmaterialsefficiency.

Inthisspirit,EDANAanditsmembercompaniescollectsustainabilitymetricsandhaveconductedaseriesofLCAstomeasureandwherepossiblereducetheenvironmentalimpactofspecificproductcategories.WecontinuetosupportLCAs fornonwovensandrelatedproducts,andreportonkeysustainabilityindicators suchasresourceefficiency.

Wearecommittedtopromotingadecision-makingculturethatincludesinnovativepracticestoachievesocial,economicandenvironmentalobjectives.

FUTURE INDUSTRY- WIDE EFFORTS AND ACTIVITIES

10.

OUR INDUSTRY IS WORKING TOWARDS THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF

GOOD SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES


EDANAiscurrentlyconductingor planninganumberofactivitiesinthefield ofsustainability:

• EDANAisintheprocessofreviewingand updatingtheProductCategoryRulesfor absorbenthygieneproducts;

• In2015producersofSuperabsorbent PolyacrylateswillcompleteaLifeCycle InventoryforSAP;

• In2016EDANAwillpublishupdated guidelinesonenvironmentalclaims;

• In2017EDANAwillagainreward innovationinthefieldofsustainability throughtheINDEXAwardsceremony;and

• Basedontopicaldevelopments,EDANA willholdworkshopsandwhenrequired launchnewinitiativesonwaste managementandrenewable rawmaterials.

EDANAaimstoleveragesustainabilitywithinthevaluechainandincreaseengagementwithstakeholders.Withtheactivesupportandinvolvementofitsmembers,EDANAwillleadthefollowingefforts:

• Establishandpromoteaframework tohelpmembercompaniesinclude sustainabilityconsiderationsincorporate decision-makingatallappropriatelevels;

• Provideappropriateinformation and,ifnecessary,training,on sustainabledevelopment;

• Reportonthesustainabledevelopmentof ourindustry;

• Continuetoidentifyandsharebest practicesthroughoutthevaluechain allowingallmembersofEDANAto implementchangesandbecomemore sustainable;and

• Activelyengageinpolicydiscussionson sustainability-relatedlegislationtobean activepartofsolvingchallengesrelated tosustainability.

Ourindustrywillcontinuetomanageitsimpactonsociety,theeconomyandtheenvironmentinaproactiveandforward-lookingway,seekingtocontinuetoincreaseitspositivecontributionwhilereducinganynegativeimpacts.



Nonwovenshavesometimesbeendescribedas‘technicalfabrics’or‘engineeredfabrics’,thankstotheirabilitytobeabletobedesignedtoholdordeliveranyspecificpropertiesneeded.Forexampleanonwovenmaterialcanofferstrengthandsoftness,haveanouterlayerthatcaneasilybeheatsealedwhilehavingacorethatresistshighertemperatures,orbeeasilytreated,sothatitcanabsorbwaterononeside,whilerepellingonanother.Additionally,nonwovenscanbemadefromawealthofrawmaterials,meaningthatthepotentialfortheirdevelopmentisalmostlimitless.Thehybridisationofnonwovenweb-makingorweb-bondingprocesses—thealmostinfinitecombinationofdifferentlayersandfabricstructuringtechniques—haveopenednewavenuestononwovens,includingend-useswherepropertiesofwovenfabricsseemtobeunmatchable.

MESSAGE FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER

11.


Thekeytomeetingexpectationsinthefieldofsustainabilityistocontinuetosupportinnovationandgoodpracticesandcommunicatethebenefitsofnonwovensandrelatedproducts.Thisissomethingthathasbeendonequitewellforabsorbenthygieneproductsandoverthelastfewyearswehavestartedexpandingthistoallcategoriesofnonwovens.Therearemanygoodstoriestotellaboutthecontributionofnonwovenstoimprovinglivesbyenablingpeopletohavehomesthatarebetterinsulated,moreefficientvehicles,cleanerairandwaterandconvenientandefficienthealthcareregimes.Ourfocusinthecomingmonthsandyearswillbetogenerateevidenceofthosebenefitswithhardfigures,andeffectivelycommunicatethesemessagestocustomersofourindustryandwithhelpfromourmembercompanies.

EDANAmembershavetakenproactivestepstointegratesustainabilityintheirstandardoperatingprotocolandintheircompanyculture,andtheyplantomaketheireffortspayoffdirectlybyimpactingtheirbottomlineandprofitability,andindirectlybyenhancingtheirimageandeventuallycreatingopportunitiestotapinto newmarkets.

EDANAisinapositiontoprovideaddedvalueandfurthersupportitsmembercompaniesintheireffortsbyfacilitatingalignmentonprinciples,definitions,positionsandpoliciesrelatedtosustainability.OnthebasisofwhatisagreedbyEDANAmembercompanies,EDANAcanmakeadifferencebyrepresentingtheentireindustrytowardskeystakeholders(policymakers,NGOs,retailersetc.)andbyfurtherdevelopingtheawarenessofallEDANAmembersofsustainabilitytrends,dataandtoolsespeciallythroughthesupplychains.


Pierre WiertzGeneralManager,EDANA

For more information visit:

www.sustainability.edana.org

About the publisher:

EDANA is a leading association and voice of the nonwovens and related industries. It is Europe-based, has a global outlook and aspires to provide leadership. It aims to create an environment beneficial to innovation and sustainable and profitable growth of industry participants through dialogue with stakeholders and the active promotion of sustainable development, consumer interests and transparency.

EDANA represents, protects and actively promotes the common interests of the nonwovens and related industries and their suppliers and provides the umbrella under which industry-wide initiatives of a non-competitive nature can be undertaken.

Copyright and publication details – published in 2015

46, Avenue Herrmann-DebrouxB-1160 Brussels, BelgiumTel: +32 2 734 93 10Fax: +32 2 733 35 18e-mail: [email protected]

EDANA Sustainability Report_2014 2015

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