SWEDEN (News release) -- Essity will invest approximately EUR 11m (approximately SEK 110m) in its Hondouville mill in France, allowing to extract 98% of paper fibers contained in food and beverage cartons.

Since 2008, Essity's Hondouville mill has been the leading recycler in France of food and beverage cartons, currently recycling more than 63% of all cartons that are sorted, collected, and recycled in the country*. This new investment will allow Essity to increase the recycling capacity of cartons to 24,000 tons a year. The fibers from these cartons are used in the fiber mix to manufacture Tork branded products within Professional Hygiene.

"This investment improves our contribution to a circular society with cost-effective and sustainable production. We also take important steps towards reaching Essity's goal that all production waste will be subject to material or energy recovery by 2030", says Magnus Groth, President and CEO at Essity.

The improved recycling system will be operational during the first half of 2022.

* Source: CITEO and Alliance Carton Nature