Japanese manufacturers are accelerating efforts to recycle used adult diapers as the country grapples with a growing waste problem fuelled by its ageing population. The initiative aims to curb incineration and cut carbon emissions by converting waste into reusable resources, Kyodo News reports.

The move follows Environment Ministry guidelines issued in 2020 urging local authorities and private companies to promote diaper recycling. While demand for baby products – diapers included - has declined in line with Japan’s falling birth rate, the market for adult diapers is expanding rapidly.

According to ministry projections, used diapers could account for about 7% of all household waste by the 2030 fiscal year, up from roughly 5% in 2020. Traditionally, the soiled products are burned with general waste, but their high moisture content hampers combustion and reduces energy efficiency Kyodo adds.

Modern diapers are made from premium pulp, resins and absorbent materials, much of which can be recovered. The ministry has encouraged a “horizontal recycling” process, in which used products are transformed back into raw materials to help manufacture new ones.

Several compaies are already moving in this direction it is reported and as Japan’s demographic shift accelerates, the country’s major paper and hygiene product manufacturers are increasingly viewing waste recycling not just as an environmental imperative but also as a potential growth market.