P&G aims to develop recyclable diaper in battle against waste

Bloomberg

Procter & Gamble Co, facing an industrywide backlash against consumer waste, is seeking a patent that would help it develop recyclable versions of absorbent products including diapers, sanitary products and potentially even Swiffer pads.
Because many absorbent products today use multiple kinds of plastic and other materials, they’re hard to separate during trash sorting and nearly always end up in landfills, the consumer-products giant said in its patent application. By reducing the number of components and using more sustainable ones, P&G said it could simplify the separation process and make the recycling of single-use goods more feasible.
“The more materials to be separated in the absorbent article recycling operation, the more complex and expensive the recycling operation becomes,” it said in the patent application.
“The proliferation of regulations limiting landfill waste, along with rising costs, have made traditional disposal of waste in landfills less desirable.” A spokeswoman for P&G didn’t have an immediate comment.

Greener Spenders
Environmentally conscious customers are asking for new ways to reduce their carbon footprints. More than 80 percent of global respondents feel strongly that companies should help improve the environment, according to Nielsen data from 2018. Younger generations of Americans say they’d be willing to pay more for a product if they knew the brand supported environmental initiatives, a survey by Bloomberg and Morning Consult found.
Of course, the complex layers in today’s diapers and pads aren’t the only deterrent to recycling. Most absorbent products contain biological waste like blood or urine, and municipalities or private operators would likely need specific infrastructure and new processes to be able to recover high-value material to be made into new products. P&G’s patent application didn’t explain how it would deal with that obstacle.
“These products won’t be recyclable in a curbside recycling stream given the use and contamination that will exist afterward,” said Bridget Croke, the vice president of external affairs at Closed Loop Partners, an investment firm focused on creating a circular economy. “That said, we’re seeing a lot of innovation on the product design and infrastructure side to make sure as much material can be recovered as possible.”
The development of recyclable absorbent products is in part motivated by the rising cost of traditional trash disposal. Wet wipes have resulted in massive sewage blockages, known as fatbergs, costing US municipalities about $1 billion a year. P&G mentioned unspecified “wipes” in the patent application.