Intersection of Sanitation and Resource Recycling - Model Project for Collection of Disposable Diapers in Iki City (2002)

Intersection of Sanitation and Resource Recycling - Model Project for Collection of Disposable Diapers in Iki City (2002)

In 2002, the aging population was rapidly progressing in Japan's regional cities, and waste disposal related to nursing care and welfare was becoming a serious problem. In Iki City, Nagasaki Prefecture, a model project for the collection and recycling of disposable diapers was launched as a progressive attempt to balance waste reduction and welfare policy, since the massive disposal of used disposable diapers was increasing the burden on waste disposal facilities. In this initiative, a system was introduced whereby disposable diapers from homes and welfare facilities are collected separately, washed, dried, and deodorized in a dedicated processor, and then reused as pulp material and other materials. As Iki City is a remote island, the cost of transporting waste is high, and recycling resources within the island was a practical issue. This model project was developed with the cooperation of the local residents and aimed to have a multifaceted effect in terms of waste reductio
n, hygienic disposal, and utilization of local resources. Subsequently, Iki City's efforts became a reference case for municipalities nationwide, opening up a new field of cooperation between welfare and the environment in the recycling of disposable diapers. Iki City's challenge can be said to be the forerunner of a sustainable regional model in a society with a declining population.