Building the circulation-based model throughout the product life cycle by realizing and commercializing the recycling system of used disposable diaper

Project members, their roles and key collaborations

In May 2016, Unicharm has joined the "Used Disposable Diaper Recycling Promotional Council" composed of 18 groups and individuals with an initiative of City of Shibushi, Kagoshima, and, on November 1, 2016, we entered into a three-way agreement with City of Shibushi and So Recycle Center on collection and recycling of used disposable diaper (The agreement was then expanded to four-way on April 2, 2018, as Osaki Town joined us.). In June 2022, nursing care facilities in Kagoshima Prefecture began using disposable diapers incorporating recycled materials as part of their absorbent materials, realizing the horizontal recycling of used disposable diapers. Based on this world-first*1 horizontal recycling technology for disposable diapers,the Recycle for the Future (RefF) Project was born, as we aim to create a future in which hygiene products are not discarded after use. 

Time line

Public release begins in 2024.

Technologies and business model ~Roles of each member company and group~

*Unicharm Corporation: Building and commercializing the recycling system of used disposable diaper

*City of Shibushi & Osaki Town: Collecting the used disposable diapers

* So Recycle Center: Installing, operating and managing the recycling equipment

Outcome and goal

Med-term goal (Kyosei Life Vision 2030) = Installing more than 10 disposable diaper recycling equipment by 2030

URL presenting on our initiatives

https://www.unicharm.co.jp/ja/csr-eco/reff.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIteuWYvRjA

https://note.com/unicharm_reff/