Initial Hygiene (formerly Pink Hygiene), one of Australia’s largest hygiene solutions providers, is backing an innovative absorbent hygiene waste (AHW) recycling technology from nappy and pad recycling specialist, Relivit.According to a 30 August release, this major partnership is set to ‘unlock a hidden goldmine in landfill worth approximately $120 million and will pioneer an entirely new sector for the waste management industry’.
“By recycling nappies, sanitary pads and incontinence pad waste, which currently costs Australian businesses and councils approximately $60 million to bury in landfill each year, businesses and councils are able to reduce both the environmental and financial impact of this AHW significantly,” said Relivit’s managing director Mark Dunn.
The recycled plastics and wood fibres from AHW can be used to make products such as fence posts, park benches, tables and chairs, flooring, wheel stops and speed humps, moulded cardboard products and fine paper, and pet bedding and pet litter.
The technology works by the following steps:
1. AHW is collected from the waste generation source and transported to the facility
2. It then gets shredded prior to entering the autoclave
3. In the autoclave the AHW is sterilised and the super absorbent polymer is deactivated allowing the organics to be removed
4. The plastics, wood fibre and SAP are then separated
5. The materials are then sent off to manufacturers to be made into new materials
Alain Moffroid, pacific managing director for Initial’s parent company Rentokil Initial, said the partnership with Relivit is a big step in increasing Initial’s sustainability practices in Australia.
“We were looking for new technology to address the growing problem of how to sustainably dispose of AHW. Partnering with Relivit is a practical investment in the future of waste management in Australia. Businesses have an increasing social and environmental responsibility to establish sustainable practices and ours is no exception,” he said.
“Initial Hygiene is starting this program in NSW and will expand the program Australia-wide as Relivit’s process capabilities expand to other states,” added Moffroid.
Relivit’s first plant will open in NSW in 2014 with plans to expand, servicing businesses including hospitals, childcare centres and aged care facilities as well as local councils.