Recycling of disposable nappies now a reality

The recycling company Relivit, in alliance with hygiene services provider Pink Hygiene Solutions, plans to recycle absorbent hygiene product (AHP) waste such as disposable nappies, female hygiene products and adult incontinence aids.

Each year, Australia generates more than 500,000 tonnes of AHP waste - enough to fill the MCG to the top, twice over.

Relivit will build and run advanced recycling facilities for AHP waste using state-of-the-art technology developed by US company Knowaste. The company has the exclusive licence to use the Knowaste technology in Australia and New Zealand.

In an industry first, this technology will sterilise and separate the materials in AHP waste to allow the plastics and fibres to be recovered and then used for making new products.

Roy Brown, CEO of Knowaste, said, “We are very pleased that Relivit is our first licensee outside Europe for our proven technology. We chose Relivit because the firm has a great understanding and commitment to our technology and a deep knowledge of the absorbent hygiene market in Australia.”

The first Relivit plant, planned for outer-western Sydney, will be commissioned in 2013. It will deliver cost-effective solutions for the recycling of AHP waste to washroom management and waste collection companies. Pink Hygiene Solutions is the first company to sign up with Relivit to supply AHP waste to the plant.

Greg Worthington-Eyre, Managing Director of Pink Hygiene Solutions, said, “As Australia’s leading hygiene solutions providers, we at Pink Hygiene feel we have a responsibility towards environmental sustainability. What is impressive about Relivit’s recycling technology is that it not only provides an environmentally beneficial solution to disposing of absorbent hygiene products, they are also enabling the source separation of waste materials to create consistently high standards of plastics and fibres in viable quantities for re-use.”

Relivit is now in discussions with a range of commercial waste management providers, as well as local councils, aged-care facilities, childcare centres and other agencies that control AHP waste. All will be able to reduce their costs and environmental impact by using the company’s recycling service.

Relivit is also exploring options with Australian-based manufacturers that want to source its reclaimed materials. Possible uses include making waste bins, construction materials and cardboard products.

Further information is available at www.relivit.com.au.