A new trial in Devon will test the recycling of nappies and hygiene products, aiming to reduce waste and promote sustainability.
Mid Devon: A trial to recycle nappies is kicking off in April. This three-month pilot will involve about 150 to 200 homes. They’ll collect kids’ nappies and other absorbent hygiene products.
The council shared that a Welsh company, NappiCycle, has come up with a cool method using friction-washing. This process helps break down used nappies into clean, reusable materials.
In Wales, they’re already using recycled nappies in asphalt for roads and other neat projects. So far, no councils in England have this recycling option, but some are trying out trials.
Mid Devon Council is chatting with NappiCycle to start a trial similar to one East Devon did last September. The refuse team will pick up the nappies, and NappiCycle will handle the rest.
After the trial, the councillors will decide if they want to expand the program. They mentioned that a full service could keep about 1,000 tonnes of nappies out of the regular waste stream from around 3,500 homes.
That’s roughly four million nappies a year! The council thinks this could save money on sending waste to be incinerated, but running the service would cost about £280,000 a year.
One councillor even asked if they could recycle puppy pads, which are like nappies for dogs. They said that could be looked at after the trial wraps up.
