Improving the fate of Absorbent Hygiene Product (AHP) waste via the identification of suitable end markets for recycled cellulosic fibres and the introduction of fibre cleaning techniques.

2011年，Knowaste在西布罗姆维奇开设了一家创新的处理设施，成为英国第一家回收吸水性卫生产品(AHP)的公司。当全面投产后，该工厂每年将能够处理3.6万吨来自商业的废物AHP。AHP包括一次性尿布、成人尿失禁产品和女性卫生产品。AHP由几种材料组成--用于吸收水分的纤维，用于保持水分和塑料薄膜的高吸水性聚合物(SAP)，以及用于保持用户干燥和安全的标签。Knowaste的专利工艺允许在准备回收的过程中分离这些组成材料，与目前使用的垃圾填埋方法相比，提供了显著的可持续性优势。虽然这些产品可以焚烧，但高水分含量使AHP不是这种处置方法的理想原料(需要脱水前处理)。英国每年产生的AHP废物中，约有75万吨来自家庭(包括NHS)部门。Knowaste希望在区域基础上进行扩展，以容纳这种材料流并处理更多的商业废物。为了使扩建计划具有商业意义并将对环境的影响降至最低，必须对进入的废物进行当地市场规划，以避免过度运输材料。还必须确定该公司回收的纤维素纤维的本地和高价值销售点。然后可以推断出新工厂的最佳地理位置。这个市场验证项目将解决这些问题。

In 2011, Knowaste became the UK's first company to recycle absorbent hygiene products(AHPs) when it opened an innovative treatment facility in West Bromwich. When full-scaleoperation is reached, the plant will be able to handle 36k tons of commercially derived wasteAHPs per year.AHPs include disposable nappies, adult incontinence products and feminine hygiene products.Designed for comfort and protection, AHPs consist of several materials - fibres to absorbmoisture, super absorbent polymers (SAP) to retain moisture and plastic membranes and tabsto keep the user dry and secure.Knowaste's patented processes allow for the separation of these constituent materials inpreparation for recycling, offering significant sustainability advantages over the currentlyemployed method for disposal - land filling. Although the products can be incinerated, thehigh moisture content makes AHPs an undesirable feedstock for this disposal method (dewateringpre-treatments would be required).Around 750k tons of the UK's 1.2 million tons of AHP waste generated yearly, comes fromthe domestic (including NHS) sector. Knowaste wishes to expand on a regional basis toaccommodate this material stream as well as handling a greater volume of commercial waste.For the expansion programme to make commercial sense and have minimal environmentalimpact, local markets for incoming waste must be mapped to avoid excess transportation ofmaterials. Local and high value outlets for the company's cellulosic fibre recyclate must alsobe identified. Optimal geographical locations for new plants can then be deduced. This proofof market project will address these issues.