There are some nappy brands in the UK which claim to have a high biodegradable content, but these nappies are not necessarily
a better option for your baby or for the environment.
The facts as we know them today...
Eco nappies claim to be better for the environment as they have a higher percentage of biodegradable material in them. This is
largely due to an increased amount of wood pulp in the nappy and a reduced amount of superabsorbent material. However, as Eco nappies
contain much more wood pulp it makes them much heavier and bulkier which results in fewer nappies per pack and therefore more
trucks on the road.
Modern disposable nappies, like Huggies®, contain a superabsorbent material which allows urine to be efficiently absorbed and
locked into the nappy, keeping moisture away from your baby's skin and helping to keep it dry and healthy. Whereas Eco nappies,
which have less superabsorbent, can result in more moisture being closer to your baby's skin.
Also depending on how your local council disposes of your waste, there may be little difference in the impact of nappies claiming
to be biodegradable and those that don't make this claim – for example:
- if your local council incinerates your waste, then both types of nappy will be compatible with this
- if your local council uses a modern style of containment landfill which aims to cut out oxygen then only anaerobic
biodegradation will occur and both nappy types will degrade very slowly over many years.
This problem of slow degradation in landfill extends to all of your household waste and not just nappies.
Our point of view...
As most of us know, landfill is the normal waste stream for most waste in the UK today. Kimberly-Clark, the maker of Huggies®,
is focused on achieving its ambition of sending zero manufacturing waste to landfill and reducing the impact of its nappies once
consumers have used them.
Kimberly-Clark believes that the development of alternative waste disposal methods is key to reducing the country's reliance on
landfill and the impact of all disposable waste on the environment.
Kimberly-Clark is constantly researching waste disposal alternatives to landfill – an example of this is our latest initiative in
New Zealand where a pioneering nappy composting facility has been set up with the financial support of the Huggies® brand.
Kimberly-Clark has and will continue to design its Huggies® products to be compatible with all new major waste streams.
You may be interested to know what we are doing...
Kimberly-Clark has been focused on reducing the waste generated in the manufacture and use of its Huggies® products, through
product design, packaging and manufacturing process innovation.
- Today around one third of the materials used in Huggies® nappies are made from natural materials.
- Huggies® wipes are made from two thirds natural materials.
- From 1995 to 2009, the weight of the average Huggies® nappy has been reduced by 17% through improved absorbency. Less bulky nappies
mean more comfort for your little one, while putting less waste in landfills.
- All the brown boxes used to transport Huggies® nappies and wipes from our plants to retailers are made from 100% recycled material.
- Huggies® largest manufacturing site – located at Barton-Upon-Humber, UK, aims to send no manufacturing waste to landfill. In 2008 they met this target.
- Kimberly-Clark's nappy manufacturing facility at Barton-upon-Humber was recognised for Recycling and in 2008 was shortlisted for
the SARA recycling awards in the category of "Best Overall
Sustainable Management Solutions."
- Huggies® nappies are compatible with new waste disposal methods, such as Mechanical Biological Treatment and Energy from Waste.
To read more about Mechanical Biological Treatment
click here
To read more about Energy from Waste click here
