Newell Rubbermaid's Paper Mate Brand Launches First Widely Available Biodegradable* Pen

ATLANTA, May 4, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Newell Rubbermaid (NYSE: NWL) today announced its Paper Mate® brand is bringing innovation to the everyday writing experience and helping consumers go green with the introduction of Paper Mate Biodegradable* – the first widely available line of pens and mechanical pencils made with a majority of biodegradable components, which break down in soil/home compost in about a year.

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"The Paper Mate Biodegradable* pen and pencil were developed based on insights that consumers desire simple, affordable ways to incorporate greener practices into everyday activities at school, home or the office," said Bill Mullenix, President of Newell Rubbermaid's Everyday Writing global business unit.  "This is the first line of biodegradable* writing instruments to be widely available to consumers globally.  By offering a unique combination of performance and affordability, we're making it easy for consumers to be greener."

The Paper Mate Biodegradable* line is the latest demonstration of Paper Mate's ongoing commitment to the environment.  In 2009, the brand launched a line of products made from recycled sources that includes the Paper Mate FlexGrip Ultra® Recycled Ball Point Pen made from 70 percent recycled material, Paper Mate Earth Write® Recycled Pencil made from 100 percent recycled wood and Paper Mate Write Bros.® Recycled Ball Point Pen made from 80 percent recycled material, along with Liquid Paper® DryLine® Grip Recycled Correction Film made from 67 percent recycled material.  In addition, Newell Rubbermaid Office Products brands including Paper Mate®, Sharpie® and Expo® this year announced partnerships with TerraCycle™, the upcycling company that finds new ways to repurpose items that would otherwise be thrown away, to create the world's first program to collect and reuse or recycle pens, markers and other writing instruments.  These products and programs add up to a robust green offering from the Paper Mate brand.  

"Across Newell Rubbermaid businesses and brands, we are continually studying our consumers to help us design and deliver innovative solutions that also offer performance and value," said Lisa King, Vice President of Insights and Innovation for Newell Rubbermaid. "Paper Mate Biodegradable* was developed as a direct result of consumer insights that showed a significant consumer desire for more environmentally conscious products offered at an affordable price."

While refreshing the image of the iconic Paper Mate brand and bringing innovation to the everyday writing category, Paper Mate Biodegradable* continues to provide the smooth writing experience consumers desire. In fact, Paper Mate Biodegradable* pens feature a new writing system that delivers darker, more vibrant lines and greater smoothness than many conventional ball point systems.  

Paper Mate Biodegradable* products look and feel like conventional plastic, but their compostable components are a bio-plastic made from plant-derived sugar, an annually renewable resource. When disassembled and placed in yard soil or home compost, they decompose in about a year, increasing compost and reducing waste. Additionally, the products are packaged in 100-percent PVC-free recyclable material.

The Paper Mate Biodegradable* pen is available in black, blue, red or purple ink and retails for approximately $1.70.  The mechanical pencil comes in 0.5mm or 0.7mm lead sizes and retails for about $2.70.   Both are currently available in the United States and Canada and will be available globally later this year.

For more information about Paper Mate Biodegradable* pens and mechanical pencils, the TerraCycle upcycling program or the full portfolio of Paper Mate green products, visit www.papermate.com.    

* The majority of the Paper Mate Biodegradable pen and pencil components biodegrade in soil or home compost in about a year. See disassembly instructions on packaging.

About Newell Rubbermaid

Newell Rubbermaid Inc., an S&P 500 company, is a global marketer of consumer and commercial products with 2009 sales of approximately $5.6 billion and a strong portfolio of brands, including Rubbermaid®, Sharpie®, Graco®, Calphalon®, Irwin®, Lenox®, Levolor®, Paper Mate®, Dymo®, Waterman®, Parker®, Goody®, Technical Concepts™ and Aprica®.

This press release and additional information about Newell Rubbermaid are available on the company's Web site, www.newellrubbermaid.com.

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SOURCE Newell Rubbermaid