Essity makes breakthrough on journey to net zero emissions

Essity has produced a tissue in a CO2-free production process using renewable hydrogen

Essity initiated the pilot for CO2-free tissue production in the second half of 2021. The pilot,
encompassing efficiency programs and electrification through renewable energy, used hydrogen as
a final building block to replace natural gas in the hood dryer of the papermaking process. As a
result, Essity has successfully achieved a CO2-free production process for tissue.

“With this initiative, we have become the first in the world to use renewable hydrogen for tissue
production. This is a major milestone in our ambitious climate agenda and a big step toward a
decarbonized society. We are creating a sustainable process that is setting a new benchmark for
the industry,” says Donato Giorgio, president of global supply chain at Essity.

Up until now, the paper drying process has relied on natural gas to achieve the required high
temperatures of 600 degrees celsius. Renewable energy has not been a viable alternative in this
part of the process. By using hydrogen in the drying process, Essity has demonstrated that energyintensive production processes can also become CO2 emission-free. The company aims to
continue applying breakthrough technologies to significantly reduce its environmental footprint.