Expanded program gives facility operators more ways to divert commercial product and dispenser-related waste and make measurable progress toward sustainability goals
ROSWELL, GA / ACCESS Newswire / September 15, 2026 / As part of its ongoing commitment to help businesses reduce their environmental impact, Kimberly-Clark Professional today announced an expansion of its Thrive sustainability program. The program, which already accepts qualifying towel dispensers, toilet paper dispensers and select wipes, has now expanded to include the full range of WypAll and Kimtech wipes and eligible hand soap and sanitizer refill bottles*, extending the landfill diversion solution across more of the products businesses use every day.
Kimberly-Clark Professional's Thrive program provides a process for collecting, shipping and tracking eligible nonhazardous used products.* The materials are converted into alternative fuel, which can offset the use of natural resources such as coal and natural gas, and the resulting ash is repurposed as an ingredient in cement manufacturing. According to a third-party life cycle assessment, using waste-derived alternative fuel in place of coal can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 54%^.
"We're committed to reducing our own environmental footprint while helping our customers do the same," said Cristine Schulz, Associate Director of Sustainability, Kimberly-Clark Professional. "By expanding the Thrive program, we're giving customers more ways to put their sustainability priorities into action through the products and operations they manage every day."
Since launching in late 2025, Thrive has already helped over 20 companies divert more than 175,000 pounds of waste from landfills. The expanded program builds on that momentum by making more commonly used facility products eligible for diversion and giving customers additional opportunities to help reduce waste generated through everyday operations.
Thrive also provides customers with visibility into their landfill diversion efforts through traceable reporting. Customers can quantify diversion metrics and monitor progress over time to help sustainability teams understand their impact and confidently communicate progress toward their sustainability goals.
The expanded program may be particularly beneficial for hospitality, retail, entertainment and other away-from-home environments where restroom experiences contribute to overall brand perception. Such locations are increasingly balancing expectations for cleanliness, guest satisfaction and environmental stewardship.
The Thrive expansion is part of Kimberly-Clark Professional's broader commitment to reducing environmental impact and helping businesses turn their sustainability priorities into meaningful, measurable action.
*Qualified products are eligible for landfill diversion so long as after use they are non-hazardous as classified by federal, state and local regulations.
^Based on third-party Life Cycle Assessment of a waste stream replacing coal as alternative fuel in a cement kiln instead of being landfilled
About Kimberly-Clark Professional
Kimberly-Clark Professional partners with businesses to achieve their goals while enhancing the well-being of their employees and guests with quality hygiene and personal care solutions. Key brands in this away-from-home segment include Kleenex, Cottonelle, Scott and WypAll. To see how Kimberly-Clark Professional is helping businesses create a better clean, together, please visit the Kimberly-Clark Professional website.
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SOURCE Kimberly-Clark Professional
Expanded Thrive program gives facility operators more ways to divert commercial product and dispenser-related waste and make measurable progress toward sustainability goals
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SOURCE: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/consumer-and-retail-products/kimberly-clark-professional-expands-thrive-program-to-divert-more-wast-1221116
