New Open-loop Recycling Approaches for Disposable Diaper Waste

Today's disposable diapers have become an indispensable choice among hygiene products, reflected in their massive global consumption and waste generation. Most of the diaper waste is neither segregated nor treated and ends up in landfills or incinerators. The reported life cycle assessment highlights that the diaper waste is not solely generated after single-use but begins as early as the raw materials acquisition stage. Although what is done cannot be undone, diaper waste can be recycled. Diaper waste valorization has been explored on laboratory- and commercial-scales for years, with varying degrees of success. Leading diaper manufacturers such as Procter & Gamble, Kimberley-Clark and Unicharm are making progress in establishing closed-loop recycling of used diapers and converting diaper waste into new diapers. However, the wide window of possible new products made from diaper waste has yet to be fully exploited. This review focuses on the enormous promise of diaper waste from the perspective of emerging open-loop recycling pathways. We demonstrate that diaper waste was harnessed and converted into non-diaper products, including energy pellets, anode material for lithium-ion batteries, concrete admixture, catalysts, soil amendment, and mushroom cultivation substrates. We also explore several active, commercial-scale diaper recycling approaches and provide a comprehensive blueprint to encourage open-loop recycling. Open-loop recycling is a practical strategy for managing diaper waste, rectifying environmental damage, and contributing to circular supply chains.

Enhancement of Gel Strength of Itaconic Acid-Based Superabsorbent Polymer Composites Using Oxidized Starch

Herein, core-superabsorbent polymer (CSAP) composites are prepared from oxidized starch (OS) via aqueous solution copolymerization using ammonium persulfate as the initiator, and 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate as the inner-crosslinker. The surface-crosslinking process is performed using various surface-crosslinkers, including bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE), poly(ethylene glycol) diglycidyl ether (PEGDGE), ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (EGDGE), and diglycidyl ether (DGE). The structures of the CSAP composites and their surface-crosslinked SAPs (SSAPs) are characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, their absorption properties are measured via centrifuge retention capacity (CRC), absorbency under load (AUL), permeability, and re-swellability tests, and their gel strengths according to surface-crosslinker type and EGDGE content are examined via rheological analysis. The results indicate that an EGDGE content of 0.75 mol provides the optimum surface-crosslinking and SSAP performance, with a CRC of 34.8 g/g, an AUL of 27.2 g/g, and a permeability of 43 s. The surface-crosslinking of the CSAP composites using OS is shown to improve the gel strength, thus enabling the SAP to be used in disposable diapers.

Cultural Aspects of Disposable Diaper Waste and Sanitary Napkins in Indonesia

The cultural aspect of managing disposable diapers and sanitary napkins in Indonesia is very important. The purpose of this study was to obtain an overview of the cultural aspects of the waste management process. The method used literature review. The data analysis used thematic analysis. The articles obtained from the selection were 18 titles. The results of the review show that the culture that is most discussed in the issue of disposable diapers and sanitary napkin waste management is the culture of industrial society, then Javanese society, and the last one is colonial. Culture is discussed in the realm of practice and reasons for use as well as practices and reasons for waste management. Things that need to be deepened are culture in the form of (1) cultural engineering and cultural environment and (2) the realm of the impact of using and managing disposable diapers and sanitary napkins. Another suggestion is to expand database searches and perform SLRs for more detailed results.

Concentrations of Seven Phthalate Monoesters in Infants and Toddlers Quantified in Urine Extracted from Diapers

Carrying out exposure studies on children who are not toilet trained is challenging because of the difficulty of urine sampling. In this study, we optimized a protocol for urine collection from disposable diapers for the analysis of phthalate metabolites. The exposure of Swiss children (n = 113) between 6 months and 3 years of life to seven phthalates was assessed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry measurements. The study showed limited exposures to phthalates, with only 22% of the samples containing some of the metabolites investigated. The three most frequently detected metabolites were monoethyl phthalate, mono-cyclohexyl phthalate, and mono-benzyl phthalate. We also detected mono-n-octyl phthalate and mono(3,5,5-trimethylhexyl) phthalate, which have rarely been observed in urine from infants and toddlers; therefore, di-n-octyl phthalate and bis(3,5,5-trimethylhexyl) phthalate can be considered as potentially new emerging phthalates. This study presents an initial snapshot of the Swiss children’s exposure to phthalates and provides a promising approach for further phthalate biomonitoring studies on young children using disposable diapers as urine sampling technique.

Delayed elimination communication on the prevalence of children's bladder and bowel dysfunction

To determine the prevalence of bladder and bowel dysfunction (BBD) and its relationship with delayed elimination communication (EC) in children. A cross-sectional study was carried out in kindergartens and primary schools in mainland China. A total of 10,166 children ranging from 4 to 10 years old were included. A total of 10,166 valid questionnaires were collected, and 409 children were diagnosed with BBD. The overall prevalence was 4.02% (409/10,166) and decreased with age, from 6.19% at age 4 to 1.96% at age 10. With the prolonged use of disposable diapers (DDs), the commencement of usage of EC in a child was significantly put off or delayed by parents, and the prevalence of BBD amongst these children increased (P < 0.001). The prevalence of BBD among children who stopped using DDs within the first 12 months and after more than 24 months was 2.79% and 4.38% respectively. Additionally, the prevalence among children who started EC within 12 months after birth and those who never engaged in EC was 1.36% and 15.71% respectively. Early introduction of EC and weaning of DD usage has a positive correlation with lower prevalence of BBD in children in China.