Trouble Handling 'Adult Diapers'... Japan's Concern in a Super-Aged Society

Increase in Disposal of Adult Diaper Paper in Japan
Use of Auxiliary Agents Needed Due to Incineration Difficulties
High Cost of Auxiliary Agents and Damage to Incinerators

Japanese local governments are struggling with the disposal of adult paper diapers due to the increasing elderly population.

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On the 17th, local Japanese media reported that the aging problem in Japan continues, leading to a steady increase in adult paper diapers.

Although overall waste volume has decreased due to growing awareness of recycling, waste from adult diapers shows a clear increasing trend.

According to the Japan Sanitary Materials Industry Federation and others, the amount of discarded adult diapers was 2.08 million tons in 2015, accounting for 4.7% of total waste, but increased to 5.2% in 2020 and is expected to reach 6.6% by 2030. This is due to the increase in adult diaper waste surpassing the decrease in child diaper waste amid low birthrates and an aging population.

Diapers being soaked with urine makes incineration difficult, which deepens the concern. To incinerate diapers, auxiliary fuel agents must be added to increase the incinerator’s heat, but the use of these agents causes damage to the incinerator and is not inexpensive.

A representative from Kakegawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture, told Yomiuri, "Last year, the cost of purchasing auxiliary fuel agents was 102.3 million yen (about 880 million won), doubling compared to two years ago, and sudden breakdowns of incinerators have also increased," adding, "We do not know how much incineration costs will rise in the future."

In response, the Japanese government is encouraging diaper recycling. Diapers made from plastic, pulp, and high-grade water-absorbent resin can be collected, washed, or reused as solid fuel. The Ministry of the Environment created guidelines for local governments in 2020. However, only 35 municipalities are currently engaged in recycling.

Foreign media reported, "The Ministry of the Environment aims to increase the number of diaper-recycling municipalities to 100 by 2030," but expressed concerns that "there are challenges such as diaper separation and profitability, making it difficult."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.