New Recycling Joint Venture Focuses on Pharmaceutical Makers

Kimberly-Clark Professional and TerraCycle are collaborating to help pharmaceutical makers recycle cleanroom garments.

The venture will make Kimberly-Clark Professional, a division of paper maker Kimberly-Clark Corp., one of the first companies to implement a large-scale recycling program for non-traditional cleanroom waste streams. For recycler TerraCycle it is their first venture into the business-to-business market, according to a news release.

 Cleanroom garments involved include coveralls, hoods, boot covers, hairnets and masks.

Kimberly-Clark Professional customers can order the recycling program through approved distributors. The package for customers will provide what’s needed to recycle, including shipping, shipping and training materials, and all return shipping of the recycling package.

TerraCycle will collect, convert and resell all waste materials as either bulk plastics or eco-friendly consumer goods, and the company's bar code system will let Kimberly-Clark Professional track waste reduction and give that information back to each facility.

"We are constantly looking to offer our customers innovations that will positively impact their productivity and profitability while preserving the environment," said Heather Torrey, scientific customer and channel marketing manager, Global Scientific Business at Kimberly-Clark Professional. "The recycling program with TerraCycle further extends our sustainability initiatives, saving time, materials and ultimately money."

"To partner with an industry leader like Kimberly-Clark Professional to launch our first business-to-business collection program is a fantastic opportunity," said Tom Szaky, Founder and CEO of TerraCycle. "Providing end-of-life solutions for previously difficult-to-recycle items from cleanrooms is an exciting new direction for TerraCycle and could have massive industry-wide impact."