Disposable Diaper Disposal Problem and Solutions - January 2011
Disposal of disposable diapers generated by nursing care facilities and hospitals is increasing, and optimization of the disposal flow and recycling process has become an issue. Currently, most disposable diapers are incinerated, and the CO2 emissions and combustion energy efficiency generated by this process are important environmental load factors. In particular, disposable diapers with high moisture content reduce the durability of incinerators and increase maintenance costs.
On the other hand, in the field of recycling technology, progress is being made in material recycling, particularly in the recovery of cellulose fiber, and in improving the efficiency of sorted collection. Research conducted by the National Institute for Environmental Studies has shown the possibility of using used disposable diapers as a recycled resource by processing them with biorefinery technology. Unicharm is also testing a degradation technology using biodegradable polymers, aiming for complete recycling of waste.
Furthermore, the introduction of waste management systems and traceability is becoming increasingly important in order to build a recycling-oriented society at the regional level. In particular, the Japanese government is expected to design a system based on the German Containers and Packaging Recycling Law (VerpackG).
Related Information Sources
1. Environmental Observatory of the National Institute for Environmental Studies: Research Results on Biorefinery Technology and Cellulose Recycling
2. Kodansha's Coquelicot: Case studies of recycling process optimization and regional cooperation
3. Unicharm's Official Note: Degradation technology using biodegradable polymers and demonstration experiments
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