Hotspots, opportunities & initiatives

Nappies

Version 1 May 2013

The Product Sustainability Forum (PSF) is a collaboration of 80+ organisations made up of grocery and home improvement retailers and suppliers, academics, NGOs and UK Government representatives. It provides a platform for these organisations to understand, improve and communicate the environmental performance of the grocery and home improvement products. (www.wrap.org.uk/psf)

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1. Please view in „Slide Show‟ to activate hyperlinks. 2. To access the slide‟s content either browse one

page at a time or use the navigation bar below to jump between the main sections. Throughout the deck there are links to external sources of interest.

3. A „Help‟ section is provided with more background information on this product summary, FAQs, terms of use and a list of other product summaries and reduction opportunities available to download.

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Introduction About this slide deck …

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This slide deck summarises some of the key environmental hotspots relevant to this product category. It also provides examples of reduction opportunities to explore – and references key initiatives that could support your activities to improve product sustainability. This work has drawn upon a wide variety of evidence and is intended to be adapted for use by different business functions (e.g. procurement, R&D, etc.). It is important to note that, as every supply chain is different, the information provided should be used to guide further investigation.

Notable primary & secondary hotspots

Notes

Hotspots – Nappies

Energy use and GHG emissions from the production of super absorbent polymers, fluff pulp and cotton – above 50% (2,7,8).

Generation of the electricity for home washing, drying of reusable nappies (3,5).

Approx. 70 litres of water are used during the consumer wash phase of reusable nappies (3).

• Highly variable product group, two main types: disposable and reusable (washable).

• The hotspots, left, can be used to target efforts – however actual performance will be dependent on the specifics of your supply chain.

• Numbers in brackets denote numbered reference in references slide.

• Evidence level: Medium – although no life cycle water data identified.

• There is a well-documented debate surrounding the sustainability of the competing systems. The latest UK study concluded overall no system clearly had a better or worse environmental performance, although the hotspots differ (i.e. greater consumer impacts for reusables due to washing and drying in the home) (3).

• Weight reduction is a key focus of impact reduction (9).

Likely hotspot – No

data identified

In the UK disposable nappies contribute c. 400,000t of waste per annum to landfill (6) and account for roughly 90% of the nappies market (2). Alternative methods can reduce waste emissions by up to 71% (4).

Unsustainable sourcing of wood fluff pulp can drive deforestation and biodiversity loss.

Reducing waste reduces resource consumption at all stages upstream

Sourcing & production account for 84% of energy use for disposable nappies (3). Optimising material use and product design can significantly reduce energy use & environmental impacts (10)

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Initiatives & key resources

The initiatives and resources identified offer a range of potential business benefits, including: best practice guidance; knowledge sharing; innovation ideas; standards development; input or process certification; sustainability benchmarking; and communication.

Notes

1. Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) – academic-led initiative to promote better cotton management practices 2. EU Ecolabel – EC working towards adding sanitary products to Ecolabel scheme 3. Other certification schemes include the Nordic Swan, and the Blue Angel 4. Courtauld Commitment – responsibility agreement aimed at improving resource efficiency in the grocery supply chain 5. EU energy labelling – gives information about the energy efficiency of washing machines, as well as water consumption 6. Energy Savings Trust Recommended – label for the most energy efficient products, usually the top 20% of those available 7. Zero Waste Scotland – programme run by WRAP currently trialling kerbside collection of nappies 8. The Baby Products Association – industry body established to promote the sector in the UK and Europe 9. Edana – the international association for the nonwoven industry, with a number of sustainability initiatives

1,2 1,2 1,2 1,2,3

2 2

2,4,7 2,5,6 2,5,6 2,5

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The documents below have been used to identify primary and secondary environmental impact hotspots

Hotspot references

1. EDANA, (2005). Baby Diapers and Incontinence Products: Sustainability Report [PDF].

2. Environment Agency, (2005). Life Cycle Assessment of Disposable and Reusable Nappies in the UK [PDF].

3. Environment Agency, (2008). An updated life cycle assessment study for disposable and reusable nappies [PDF].

4. Freyberg, T. (n.d). Nappy recycling, is the UK ready to run walk or crawl

5. O‟Brien K & Olive R & Hsu Y.-C & Morris L & Bell R & Kendall N, (2009). Life Cycle Assessment: Reusable and disposable nappies in Australia [PDF].

6. Parliament Motion 1169, (2010). Disposable Nappy Waste

7. Rossman D, (2011). C02 Balance Babydream Diaper Climate Comparison [PDF].

8. Tesco (2009) Carbon footprint of disposable nappies. Confidential

9. Van Gysel, D. and al (2012). Skin Care and Environmental Sustainability Improvements with Baby Diaper

Developments [PDF]

10. Weisbrod, A. & van Hoof, G. (2011). LCA measured environmental improvements in Pampers diapers [PDF]

11. WRAP (2012). Nappy Days [PDF]

12. WRAP (2013). An initial assessment of the environmental impact of grocery products [PDF]

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Introduction Opportunities Hotspots Resources Help

Reduction opportunities The PSF has researched a selection of „reduction opportunities‟, „action plans and topic guides‟ relevant to the grocery sector. Below are a selection relevant to nappies. Follow the links to find out more about each opportunity. For a full list of resources available see the Help section. While many of the opportunities are not tailored specifically to nappies – the principles and resources are transferable. Where they target a hotspot they are flagged red.

• Sustainable forestry products • Identifying the true cost of waste • Water efficiency in the home

Hotspot

Reduction opportunities None directly relevant to nappies.

Action plans

Topic guides • Best practice in embedding sustainability in product design

• Engaging suppliers on sustainability

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Sustainable forestry products Product sustainability opportunity

Deforestation remains a significant threat to global climate and biodiversity. In the decade 2000-2010, 13m hectares of forest were lost. Common approaches to securing sustainable forestry in supply chains (e.g. for packaging) include the use of existing certification schemes, recycled fibre/timber, or development of specific initiatives (see case studies).

Other key resources & initiatives 1. Global Forest & Trade Network (WWF programme) provides tools and guidance for forest product buyers 2. Forest Stewardship Council (FSC): the most recognisable third party certifier for timber and forest products 3. Central Point of Expertise on Timber Procurement (CPET) – provides guidance on how to meet regulations 4. Other certification schemes are run by Rainforest Alliance, Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC),

Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI); the UK Woodland Assurance Standard (UKWAS) focuses specifically on UK woodland 5. Timber and Timber Management – Retail Forum for Sustainability Issue Paper on sustainable forestry

Securing sustainable sources of forestry products reduces both brand and supply risks. Association with deforestation is a common target for NGO activities – and has forced retailers and brands to de-list suppliers (e.g. targeting of APP by Greenpeace). One of the main barriers to increased use of sustainably sourced forestry products is the limited availability of sustainable timber in sufficient quantity and quality to meet the demands of some large businesses, although certified area is constantly growing, and the FSC has set up the FSC Broker Project to match supply with demand.

Benefits & barriers

Case studies – Kimberly-Clark, Coop

The Cooperative UK graduated from WWF‟s Global Forest & Trade Network (GFTN) (1) in 2011; forestry products were: 93.98% FSC (2) Credibly Certified, 3.02% post-consumer recycled, 1.74% post-consumer recycled, and 1.26% legal origin confirmed.

Hotspot

Recycled products available on the market commonly contain a proportion of fibre from pre- or post-consumer waste, recycled process waste. Some also contain bamboo or other alternative fibres. Kimberly-Clark has a global fibre procurement policy committing to using certified wood pulp and recycled materials.

Identifying the true cost of waste Product sustainability opportunity

The cost of waste disposal is a small fraction, typically 5%, of the true cost of waste. The true cost should include cost of materials and value added during the production process, including: costs of labour; energy; water; equipment; warehouse; administration; and disposal. The example shown in the chart shows how value added to a cake at each stage of production increases the true cost of waste.

Other key resources & initiatives

1. Business Benefits of Resource Efficiency – WRAP report estimating the overall potential resource efficiency gains for UK business 2. Opportunities for Resource Efficiency in the Food and Drink Sector – WRAP report reviewing waste arisings at FDF member sites 3. WRAP, Confidential Waste Prevention Reviews, 2011-13 4. Efficient Consumer Response – working group co-ordinator, supporting developments in process efficiency 5. Lean Manufacturing and the Environment – USEPA research on advanced manufacturing systems and their environmental benefits 6. Waste Arising in the Supply of Food and Drink to Households in the UK – focusing on manufacture, distribution & retail 7. Benefits to Change in the Retail Supply Chain – provides links on improving supply chain resource efficiency

There are more than £800m worth of savings possible through improved waste in the food & drink sector (1). Estimates place the true cost of a tonne of waste at £550 (2) to £2,000 (3) per tonne. Calculation of the true cost helps prioritise opportunities, develop accurate cost-benefit analyses and implement waste prevention measures.

Benefits & barriers

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Water efficiency in the home Product sustainability opportunity

Consumer water use accounts for over half of all water used in the UK, with the average person using 150 litres of water a day. Water use in the home can have a high environmental and financial cost. Significant levels of energy are used to treat water to a drinkable standard, of which only a portion is used in potable applications. For example, only around 7% of the water used in our homes is used for cooking and drinking, whereas almost one third of the water used in the home is flushed down the toilet. A recent report recommended the UK government to drive changes to reduce domestic per capita water consumption by 30% (1).

Other key resources & initiatives

1. The State of the Nation: Water 2012 – Institution of Civil Engineers report with recommendations for water security 2. The Bathroom Manufacturers Associations – guide to product water efficiency labelling 3. Water for Life – Defra white paper with recommendations on using water wisely in the home 4. WRAP Water Using Products – working group working towards all bathroom fittings to be labelled to inform customer choice

Consumer use is the dominant life cycle impact for many HPC products, and is often thought to be difficult to address. However, reductions can be made through: • Product re-formulation (see Product re-formulation

reduction opportunity) • Promoting water limiting shower devices • Promoting lower temperature washing (e.g. see P&G‟s

Ariel Turn to 30oC campaign) • Promoting water conservation (e.g. Lynx‟s clever „shower

pooling‟ campaign

Influencing consumer behaviour Unilever - Sustain Ability Challenge

Unilever has been working with families across the UK to gain an understanding of the acceptance uptake of bathroom & laundry related water saving tools, as well as suggested behavioural changes. • The project will run for 6 months & independently measured • Changes will be compared to benchmark figures • Results fed back to direct developments in key brands including Domestos & Persil

Hotspot

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Proposal/ briefing

Product design

Production Launch Post-

launch review

Embedding sustainability in product design Topic Guide Over 80% of all product-related environmental impacts can be influenced during the design phase, presenting an opportunity for designers to adopt more sustainable practices and in turn contribute towards lower impact products and services. The challenge is to incorporate sustainable design principles into R&D processes, and to embed Ecodesign principles within the business sustainability strategy and brand positioning considerations.

The business benefit include cost reductions, brand and reputation enhancement. This approach may also meet future customer demand for products and services with reduced environmental impacts.

Resources

1. Defra sustainable product roadmaps – life cycle assessments, research and initiatives to improve environmental impact of products 2. WRAP circular economy – research and information on the circular economy (recapture & reuse of resources) 3. Eco SME – resources on Ecodesign for small businesses 4. Centre for Sustainable Design Ecodesign Strategy Wheel – Ecodesign consultancy for business 5. Eco3 Design consultancy – integrating Ecodesign into R&D

Implementation Process

This Topic Guide focuses on how to adapt conventional design into Ecodesign, starting with R&D. Embedding Ecodesign encompasses five main stages:

1) Identify design improvements

2) Compare design alternatives

3) Set Ecodesign strategy

4) Develop communications plan

5) Pilot and review of programme

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Topic Guide

Identify

design

improvements

– review

products in

context of

sustainability

strategy

Comparison

of design

alternatives –

develop new

products or

make changes

to existing

products

Ecodesign

strategy

setting –

agree

principles

aligned to

strategy

Communicate

environmental

benefits of

products

Pilot and

embed

programme.

Review and

feedback on

process

Engaging Suppliers in Sustainability Topic Guide Most companies in the Grocery sector are identifying and addressing the opportunities that arise from a focus on sustainability. However, internally focused initiatives and supplier audits are not sufficient to ensure sustainability in products and across the supply chain. To achieve this requires working with supply chain partners in a collaborative and structured way using sustainability as a focus for dialogue and improvement, rather than a focus on cost and service levels.

Resources 1. WRAP - Reducing Food Waste through Retail Supply Chain Collaboration 2. FDF - Sustainable Sourcing: Five Steps Towards Managing Supply Chain Risk 3. DEFRA - Sustainable Procurement Prioritisation Tool 4. WRAP - PSF hotspots knowledge base 5. SAI Platform - Practitioner's Guide to Sustainable Sourcing of Agricultural Raw Materials

Implementation Process

This Topic Guide aims to ensure that engaging suppliers in Sustainability is embedded in procurement and product development practices, and that implementation is a joint and collaborative process

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Topic Guide

1. Mapping 2. Identifying 3. Selecting 4. Preparing 5. Planning 6. Implementing

Procure-

ment

Map how

sustainability is

currently included

in procurement

processes

Identify key

suppliers through a

spend and risk

analysis

Select key

suppliers and

engage to jointly

review impacts,

risks and

opportunities for

the key materials

Develop and

implement supplier

scorecards and

develop engagement

strategy

Develop joint

action plans and

then implement

with key

suppliers

Implement wider

supplier engagement

through knowledge

hubs, supplier days,

awards and recognition

Product

Develop

-ment

Map how

sustainability is

currently included

in product

development

processes

Identify key

sustainability risks

and opportunities

by key material

Develop information

requests and

guidance on risks

and opportunities on

key materials to

share with suppliers

Help section

This section contains background information on the contents of this slide deck, including:

1.Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

2.Terms of use/Disclaimer

3.Product summary list – 50 product summaries are available covering food, drink, household and personal care categories

4.Reduction opportunities – a list of all those developed to date

5.Action plans & topic guides – a list of all those developed to date

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FAQs

1.What is the Product Sustainability Forum (PSF)? The Product Sustainability Forum is a collaboration of 80+ organisations made up of grocery and home improvement retailers and suppliers, academics, NGOs and UK Government representatives. It provides a platform for these organisations to understand, improve and communicate the environmental performance of the grocery and home improvement products. Website: www.wrap.org.uk/psf

2.What are the five PSF ‘metrics’? To date, the PSF has focused on the performance of products across five core environmental „metrics‟: energy use, water use, waste generation, material use and greenhouse gas emissions. A more detailed discussion of the work done on these five metrics is available in a published PSF report entitled “An initial assessment of the environmental impact of grocery products”. The PSF is also beginning to look at the biodiversity impact of products.

3.What do the red and orange shading denote on hotspot matrices? Red cells highlight stages within the value chain which are often the primary source of impact for the metric in question (e.g. greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, etc.). Orange cells are typically secondary sources of impact. These are qualitative assessments to highlight likely hotspots and should be used to focus further investigation.

4.How are ‘Primary’ and ‘Secondary’ hotspots identified? Primary and secondary hotspots have been identified using a range of sources – but mainly publicly available life cycle and sector-level research into resource use and environmental impacts. These are fully referenced within the deck. Primary hotspots are those which, according to the evidence identified, are likely to contribute the most to the metric in question (e.g. agricultural stages dominate the carbon footprint of dairy products). However, due to the varied and patchy nature of the evidence, some summaries are more complete than others – and in many cases, hotspots have been estimated based on proxies. To guide users a qualitative „evidence level‟ score has been developed to highlight any significant data gaps. As every supply chain is different, this information should be used to guide further research into your own supply chain.

5.Which other product summaries are available and where can I get them from? A summary of products researched to date is available at the end of this deck.

6.How can I submit ideas/comments for future revisions of this PowerPoint deck? Click on the „Submit feedback‟ link at the top right hand side of each slide to send feedback to the PSF team.

7.How can I use this content? See our „Terms of Use‟ slide.

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Terms of use

While we have tried to make sure this slide deck is accurate, we cannot accept responsibility or be held legally responsible for any loss or damage arising out of or in connection with this information being inaccurate, incomplete or misleading. This material is copyrighted. You can copy it free of charge as long as the material is accurate and not used in a misleading context. You must identify the source of the material and acknowledge our copyright. You must not use material to endorse or suggest we have endorsed a commercial product or service. For more details please see our terms and conditions on our website at www.wrap.org.uk.

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Product summary list

Bananas Bath & shower products Beef Biscuits Bread & rolls Breakfast cereals

Butter

Cakes, pastries, etc.

Canned meat

Coffee

Canned vegetables Carbonates Cat & dog food

Cheese Chocolate Cider & perry Deli-food Deodorant

Nappies

Dishwashing products

Fish & seafood

Frozen vegetables

General cleaning products

Ice-cream & frozen desserts

Lamb Margarine

Pork Potato crisps Potatoes Poultry Pre-packed sandwiches Ready meals

Rice Spirits

Sugar confectionery Tea

Toilet & kitchen rolls Tomatoes

Processed snacks

Yogurts

Dilutables

Beer

Laundry detergent

Eggs

Wine

Juices

Onions Pizza

Canned seafood

Milk & cream

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Reduction opportunity list

• Addressing „green water‟

• Benefits of soil management

• Crop irrigation best practice

• Precision agriculture

• Rolling out agricultural GHG tools

• Sourcing palm oil responsibly

• Sugar crop sustainability

• Sustainable fisheries & aquaculture

• Sustainable forestry products

• Water efficiency in livestock farming

• Closed-loop recycling

• Drinks packaging optimisation

• Renewable packaging materials

• Boiler energy efficiency in F&D

• CIP for resource efficiency

• Identifying the true cost of waste

• Increased efficiency of in-store bakeries

• Increasing motor drive efficiency

• Product re-formulation

• Water efficiency in drinks manufacture

• Water efficiency in meat processing

• Water re-use in F&D processing

• Extending product shelf life

• Food redistribution

• Shared logistics opportunities

• Improving consumer portioning

• Reducing kitchen energy use

• Reducing consumer food waste

• Water efficiency in the home

• Capital allowance for green tech

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Action plan & topic guide list

Action plans

• Harmonising smart planning (manufacturers) and demand forecasting (retailers)

• How to participate in the closed loop economy through waste exchange

• How to use digestate as a fertiliser substitute

• Refrigeration best practice in food and drink chill chains

• Securing crop supply through whole crop purchasing

Topic guides

• Demystifying and de-risking land use change

• Implementing a sustainable procurement process for raw materials

• Lowering the impact of pig feed soya

• Effective commissioning of LCAs/footprint studies

• Engaging colleagues on sustainability

• Engaging suppliers on sustainability

• Best practice in embedding sustainability in product design

• How to identify high sustainability, reputation, supply chain risk and resilience

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