Materials & sustainability
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Stories and developments
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37 articles · 2 source links
www.ansa.it · Facility plan · News report
The reported 5,000-tonne annual capacity is a plan; operating performance is not established.
A facility plan; planned capacity is not actual throughput.
www.verenigingafvalbedrijven.nl · Operating facility · Organization source
An article published on September 10, 2026, by the Dutch waste-industry association Vereniging Afvalbedrijven profiles ARN's recycling of used baby diapers and incontinence products in Weurt. It describes treatment at high temperature and pressure, followed by plastic recovery, washing, drying and granulation. The organic fraction yields green gas and liquid carbon dioxide, while residual water becomes process water.
Annual capacity is not the amount actually processed.
www.ucl.ac.uk · Research report · Organization source
UCL reported on July 23, 2026 that researchers had published a roadmap in Nature Sustainability for reducing waste from absorbent hygiene products, including adult incontinence products.
A research roadmap, not a commercial recycling service.
Company HQ: Sumitomo Seika · Japan ↗
Sumitomo Seika · Pilot · Company-published source
Sumitomo Seika announced on June 15, 2026 that a pilot plant for recycling superabsorbent polymer recovered from used diapers had begun operating at its Himeji factory in Japan.
Used-diaper material process in an ageing-population context; not adult-only feedstock.
Company HQ: Unicharm · Japan ↗
Unicharm · Implementation report
Unicharm reviews its RefF recycling program, including an adult-care product introduced for care facilities in 2022. The company reports a cumulative 7.04 million used diapers recycled by March 2026 and describes its own carbon comparison with incineration. Its 2026 retail expansion concerns a baby product.
See the source for its stated scope and implementation stage.
Company HQ: Meerlanden · Netherlands ↗
Meerlanden · Facility plan · Company-published source
Meerlanden published a call for partners on May 19, 2026 for a proposed plant to process used baby diapers and incontinence products in the Amsterdam region.
Incontinence products explicitly included.
Company HQ: Verdis A/S · Denmark ↗
Verdis A/S via Via Ritzau · Construction update · Company-published source
Verdis announced on May 12, 2026 that construction of its planned diaper-waste treatment plant in Hvidovre, Denmark, had reached a milestone, with a topping-out event scheduled for the following day.
Incontinence products explicit in supplier corroboration.
www.env.go.jp · Municipal applications open · Public authority source
Japan's Ministry of the Environment opened applications on April 21, 2026 for support to local governments introducing or considering the recycling of used disposable diapers. The programme supports preparatory surveys and public-awareness work, including measures developed with businesses and civic organisations. The ministry aims to create practical examples, publicise them and encourage adoption in other municipalities.
Municipal recruitment for a programme, not nationwide collection.
Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology via APA-OTS · Material research · Organization source
The Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology described its Diapers Recycler project in an April 10, 2026 release. It proposes decentralized treatment at sites including hospitals, care facilities and childcare settings.
Hospitals and care facilities explicit intended settings.
www.env.go.jp · Revised guidance · Public authority source
Japan's Ministry of the Environment announced a revised guideline for recycling used disposable diapers on April 6, 2026. It brings together information for municipalities considering separate collection, sterilisation and subsequent material recycling or heat recovery, excluding electricity generation from waste treatment. The ministry links the growing waste stream to population ageing and increased adult-diaper use, while noting that most used diapers are currently incinerated.
Japanese guidance; local collection and treatment conditions apply.
Waste Management & Research / Sage · Research report · Research publication
The literature review includes adult-incontinence products and argues for locally grounded assessment of disposal burdens. Industry funding is disclosed.
Literature mini-review, not adult-only or Africa-only evidence; Kimberly Clark funding disclosed.
Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare · Permit register · Public authority source
Taiwan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare lists YiChun Environmental Technology’s Luzhu plant among permitted medical-waste reuse operators. The register was created on March 18, 2026 and records an April 14 update.
Institutional discarded-diaper permit; register does not separate adult and infant waste.
North London Waste Authority · Policy discussion · Public authority source
North London Waste Authority reported on March 2, 2026 that it and Policy Connect had convened a parliamentary discussion on nappy waste at the House of Lords.
Adult incontinence explicit within mixed AHP discussion.
www.ecomark.jp · Recovered-material product certification · Organization source
Japan's Eco Mark Office announced on February 27, 2026, that Love Forest toilet paper had become the first product made with material recycled from used disposable diapers to receive Eco Mark certification. The product is made by Poppy Paper in Omuta, Fukuoka, using a blend of 10% pulp recovered from used diapers and 90% pulp recycled from recovered paper. Its certification number is 25 168 001, under the scheme's category for products using recycled disposable diapers.
Recycled pulp used in toilet paper, not a new absorbent diaper.
ISC3 / Alkyl Recycling · Planned pilot
ISC3 profiles Alkyl Recycling’s work on chemical recycling of used baby diapers and adult incontinence products. The article describes product trials; a one-tonne-per-day pilot facility is a next step, not a plant already in operation.
See the source for its stated scope and implementation stage.
Company HQ: BASF · Germany ↗ / Essity · Sweden ↗
www.basf.com · Pilot · Company-published source
BASF announced on December 11, 2025 that it had worked with Essity and TU Wien on a pilot for converting used diapers and other absorbent hygiene products into feedstock for chemical production.
A pilot, not a commercial collection service.
Company HQ: Unicharm · Japan ↗
www.unicharm.co.jp · Research and development · Company-published source
Unicharm announced on December 9, 2025, that it had begun developing a dry-washing process for recycling used disposable diapers with FujiClean in Ayagawa Town, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan. Drawing on dry-cleaning methods, the process combines a reusable solvent with the company's sterilisation and bleaching technology. Unicharm aims to reduce water use to about one-fiftieth of its existing water-based washing process.
Development work, not an operating nationwide service.
NEN · Standards work · Organization source
NEN announced on November 27, 2025 an information meeting about a proposed standards committee covering absorbent hygiene products, including incontinence materials, diapers and menstrual products.
Incontinence materials expressly included.
Aichi Prefecture · Planned pilot · Public authority source
Aichi Prefecture announced a trial at Kariya Memorial Hospital on October 29, 2025. Sahashi Special Steel and Shikibo planned to test a friction-grinding and drying process for used diapers.
Hospital-generated used diapers; no adult-only breakdown.
Shizuoka Prefecture · Planned pilot · Public authority source
Shizuoka Prefecture announced an agreement with Fukuroi City on October 9, 2025 to jointly run a used-diaper resource-recovery trial. Collection was planned from hospitals, care facilities and nurseries, alongside household collection points.
Hospitals and care facilities expressly included alongside nurseries.
Company HQ: Kao · Japan ↗
www.kao.com · Pilot · Company-published source
Kao announced on October 1, 2025 that it was starting a used-diaper carbonization trial with Kamikatsu Town in Tokushima, Japan. The town’s Zero Waste Center WHY was the site for the second version of the treatment equipment.
Carbonisation testing under stated pilot conditions.
Gemeente Urk · Separate-collection trial · Public authority source
Urk municipality announced a one-year separate diaper-collection pilot on September 19, 2025. Three collection containers accepted both diapers and incontinence materials, with access arranged through a resident waste pass.
Incontinence material expressly eligible.
www.kyushu-u.ac.jp · Laboratory experiment started · Organization source
The experiment explores greening applications for used-diaper material; adult-specific feedstock and commercial treatment outcomes are unconfirmed.
A laboratory experiment; adult-only feedstock and commercial treatment outcomes are unconfirmed.
Company HQ: Daio Paper · Japan ↗ / Nippon Shokubai · Japan ↗
www.shokubai.co.jp · Collection and partnership · Company-published source
The agreement links household and facility collection with Omuta processing; complete material recovery remains a stated goal.
An agreement and collection service; future full-recycling goals are not achieved recovery rates.
Comune di Capannori · Authorization announced · Public authority source
Capannori municipality announced on July 15, 2025 that a regional procedure had authorized construction of RetiAmbiente’s absorbent-hygiene recycling plant at Salanetti in Tuscany.
Adult absorbent products explicit in municipal project transcript.
greatershepparton.vic.gov.au · Processing route changed · Public authority source
Greater Shepparton City Council announced on July 10, 2025 that diapers collected through its nappy and incontinence-aid service would temporarily go to landfill because its processor was reducing operations while enhancing processing capabilities. Weekly household collection was to continue.
Collection continued while treatment temporarily changed to landfill.
WRAP · Collection case study · Organization source
WRAP published a case study on July 8, 2025 describing Rhondda Cynon Taf’s long-running collection of used nappies and incontinence pads in Wales.
Incontinence pads expressly included in weekly collection.
www.gov.za · Draft policy · Public authority source
South Africa published a draft strategy addressing the design, reuse, control and disposal of absorbent hygiene products for public comment on April 11, 2025. The government index identifies the notice as Government Gazette 52495, Notice 6114.
A draft for consultation, not enacted policy.
Company HQ: ARN B.V. · Netherlands ↗
ARN · Pilot agreement · Company-published source
ARN and four hospitals signed a declaration of intent on April 8, 2025 to test whether thermal-pressure hydrolysis could process a broader mixture of hospital waste.
Existing incontinence-diaper route extended to clinical absorbent underlays.
www.cbe.europa.eu · Project report · Public authority source
Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking published an account of the EU-funded EMBRACED project’s results on April 7, 2025. The project examined recovery of resources from used absorbent hygiene products, including adult diapers and incontinence pads.
Project results, not a generally available collection service.
www.kitakyu-u.ac.jp · Modelled environmental assessment · Organization source
The joint LCA compares incineration and material-recovery scenarios using mixed adult and infant diaper assumptions.
A modelled joint assessment; not measured operating performance or a universal result.
Hamamatsu City · Planned pilot · Public authority source
Hamamatsu City announced a collection-to-product trial for used diapers on December 13, 2024. The work was intended to test steps towards recycling recovered materials into new products.
Care-provider institutional stream explicitly included.
Company HQ: Unicharm · Japan ↗ / Oji Nepia · Japan ↗
www.unicharm.co.jp · Implementation report · Company-published source
Unicharm announced on October 1, 2024 that Oji Nepia had joined its RefF resource-recovery initiative. The companies linked electricity generated using solid recovered fuel, or RPF, from used diapers with the production of toilet rolls launched in Kyushu.
Fuel and electricity recovery; distinct from diaper-to-diaper recycling.
www.rijksoverheid.nl · Government study · Public authority source
The Dutch government published a report notice on June 20, 2024 concerning the financial effects on users of introducing extended producer responsibility for diapers and incontinence products.
A cost study of a possible policy, not an enacted regulation.
Kamakura City · Trial report · Public authority source
Kamakura City’s October 2024 report describes a used-diaper separation and product-development trial involving hospital and nursery waste. Kurita handled separation, while TOPPAN examined the recovered materials and possible products.
Hospital and nursery mixed feedstock.
Sapporo City · Development support · Public authority source
Sapporo City lists Sustainable Create’s development of a used-diaper recycling device for medical and care facilities among projects selected for its 2025 healthcare-business support programme.
Medical and care facilities explicit; not adult-only performance data.
Careyn · Operator report · Organization source
Care provider Careyn’s 2025 sustainability report says residents and staff at Bernissesteyn separated more than 6,000 kilograms of incontinence waste during the year.
Residential care incontinence waste.
ISO · Draft standard · Organization source
ISO’s public project record for 22629 shows a further development milestone on October 8, 2026. The project concerns recycled pulp recovered from used urine-absorbing products.
Urine-absorbing materials under ostomy/incontinence committee; not adult-only.
Netherlands government — Circulair Materialenplan · Waste-management policy · Public authority source
The Netherlands’ Circular Materials Plan includes a specific framework for used disposable diapers and incontinence materials. The page states that this section took effect on December 30, 2025.
Incontinence material from healthcare and nursing homes explicit.
Background references
EDANA
EDANA reviews initiatives for collecting and recycling absorbent hygiene products. The source surveys approaches; it does not establish that one system is available everywhere.
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These examples are selected routes to original information, not a ranking or a claim that a product is environmentally preferable. Company statements are attributed to their publishers.
