A major Japanese hygiene products maker began selling the world's first "horizontally" recycled disposable diapers Saturday at shopping centers in the southwest of the country.
The diapers, manufactured by Unicharm Corp., were created under the concept known as "horizontal recycling," meaning used products are reproduced into their original item, and will eventually be sold in 68 stores by retailer Aeon Kyushu Co.
Unicharm collaborated with two local governments in Kagoshima Prefecture to recycle the diapers, utilizing a specifically designed process to eliminate bacteria and odors with the use of ozone.
The firm started manufacturing recycled adult diapers in 2022, and initially provided them to hospitals and care homes for the elderly.
"We would like to transform a resource-intensive standard to a cyclical one. We have received approval from experts concerning the hygiene" of the diapers, said Tsutomu Kido, senior executive officer of Unicharm.
A packet of 42 diapers for children costs 1,078 yen ($7), slightly more expensive than the company's regular disposable ones.
