AUSTRALIA

REFUSE TO USE KLEENEX TISSUES

Kimberly Clark has a licence to take up to 44,000 tonnes of hardwood woodchips from the Otway State forest . This represents about 40% of all the forest destroyed by clearfell logging in the Otways each year. Kimberly Clark requires hardwood woodchips to manufacture tissue paper at the Kimberly Clark pulp mills in Millicent, South Australia (near Mt Gambier).

Clearfell logging to supply woodchips to Kimberly Clark is having a devastating effect on the Otway forests and potential economic growth in the region.

1.The tourism potential of the Otways is being diminished by clearfell logging. The Otway regional economy is already heavily dependant on tourism. There is great scope for further sustainable development of tourist opportunities that would benefit both local and urban communities. For instance, over 170,000 tourist go to see Cool Temperate Rainforest at Maits Rest in the Otway National Park each year. 33,000 foriegn tourists drive the great ocean road each year. These numbers are growing. A report to the Surf Coast shire confirms that the tourist dollare contributes $98 million per year to the Otway local economy (Colac Herald 22 Nov 1996)

2. Clearfell Logging is spreading Myrtle Wilt, a disease that is killing off the remaining stands of Cool Temperate Rainforest throughout the Otways. Myrtle wilt can be seen at Maits Rest..

3. Clearfell Logging and dirt logging roads are polluting rivers and creeks with mud and silt, killing endangered fish such as the galaxius and graying. These fish require clear clean water for spawning.

4. The habitat of the Tiger Quol, Powerfull Owl and Otway Black Snail is slowly being diminished by clearfell logging. All these species including the Galaxias and Grayling are listed as vulnerable and endangered. Kimberly Clark could find its woodchips form other sources. The company claims it will begin to harvest its own plantations by the year 2000 and then presumably start to phase out its requirment for hardwood woodchips from the Otways. By the time this happens, the Tiger Quoll, Powerful Owl and Cool Temperate rainforest would have also been phased out by extinction.

What You Can Do

* TELL KIMBERLY CLARK THAT DESTROYING NATIVE FOREST FOR PROFIT IS UNACCEPTABLE. COMPLAIN TO KIMBERLY CLARK ON THEIR CUSTOMER ENQUIRIES LINE RING 1 800 028 334.

* REFUSE TO USE KLEENEX TISSUES.

Kimberly Clark are the manufacturers of the following products.

Kleenex Facial Tissues
Kleenex Toilet Tissue
Wondersoft Toilet Tissue
Thick Thirsty (paper towel)

If only one in ten Australians who purchase these brands used an alternative product, Kimberly Clark could lose 18.6 million in retail sales.

ALTERNATIVES TO KLEENEX TOILET PAPER

For Toilet Paper made from 100% post consumer waste paper these include

SAFE Paper Converting Company. Pty. Ltd.
SOFTEX COSCO Holdings. Pty Ltd.
NATURALE ABC Tissue Products Pty. Ltd.
TREE FREE Morepack Merchandising
NATURE SOFT Austissue (Western Australia)

NOTE: AVOID ANY PRODUCTS MANUFACTURED BY CARTER HOLT HARVEY. THEY ALSO USE NATIVE FOREST TO MAKE TISSUE PAPER.

DO NOT USE THE FOLLOWING CARTER HOLT HARVEY TOILET PAPER BRANDS:-

DO NOT BUY Sorbent
DO NOT BUY Petal
DO NOT BUY Scotties
DO NOT BUY Chiffon
DO NOT BUY, EARTH CARE (Warning: this is packaged similar to SAFE)

ALTERNATIVES TO KLEENEX FACIAL TISSUES

The best alternative is a HANDKERCHIEF. It can be reused up to a thousand times if washed after use.

AUSTISSUES Manufacture Facial Tissues made from recycled paper. These are not readily avaliable in the eastern states. Most facial tissues are made using native forests and should be avoided.

WHITE PAPER TOWELS

Kimberly Clark sell paper towel under the brand name THICK THIRSTY. Paper towel under the brand name SAFE (Manufacturer: Paper Converting Company) is made from 100% recycled office paper .

Remember it is your choice

Source: Nature Conservation Council of NSW