Diapers create even more ocean pollution than plastic bags in Java, according to Ecological Observation and Wetlands Conservation (Ecoton), a small Indonesian environmental group. Ecoton has found plastic fibers, likely from diapers, in 80 percent of the fish examined in the Brantas River. Therefore, nonwoven diapers are a huge source of environmental pollution.
Ontex has well-judged the need for nonwoven diaper recycling. The company has collaborated with circular economy company Les Alchimistes to test the compostability of diaper pads. The two companies have set up a pilot project at Les Alchimistes’ industrial composting site near Paris to prove that the composting of Ontex diaper pads is possible. That waste and incineration can be reduced. The project requires cooperation between different partners, from suppliers of materials, diaper manufacturers like Ontex, to waste collection and composting partners using suitable technology.
Annick De Poorter, Executive Vice President R&D, Quality and Sustainability, Ontex, said, “Together with partner company gDiapers, which has 17 years of expertise in hybrid compostable diapers, the Ontex Little Big Change brand has developed a new diaper system. The system consists of a reusable outer diaper made of cotton and a disposable diaper pad designed to be industrially compostable. We are now testing if the diaper pads can be composted on an industrial scale by working together with a test group of 30 families in Paris who subscribe to Ontex’s baby diaper service, Little Big Change.
As a major player in essential personal hygiene, we recognize the need to find alternatives to landfills and incineration for our used products. We are examining ways to reduce CO2 emissions all through their different life cycle phases. As we move towards a circular economy business model, it is a natural and logical step to work together with other companies to make our diapers more recyclable or compostable. We support Les Alchimistes’ mission to learn how diapers can be composted and are eager to discover the results of the tests.”
Maiwenn Mollet, director of the Fertile Diapers program at Les Alchimistes, said, “Our goal is to make the separate collection and composting of used, compostable diapers a reality. We are delighted that Ontex, with its brand Little Big Change, is joining our mission. Ontex has the engineering knowledge and resources to design diapers that can be compostable. Our goal is to create a new circular economy loop with Ontex and other like-minded companies and to compost 500 million diapers by 2030.”
