Press Releases

Kurita Water Industries Ltd. (Head Office: Nakano-ku, Tokyo; President: Hirohiko Ejiri; hereinafter "Kurita") has developed the Kurita SAMS System, which can perform separation treatment on used diapers and utilize the recovered materials as raw materials and fuel for products. In Japan, used diapers are usually disposed of through incineration. Kurita SAMS System sterilizes and washes these used diapers and separates their plastic and pulp components, thus helping to build a recycling-oriented economy and society. The solution also contributes to reduced energy usage and CO₂ emissions associated with waste generation and incineration.

■Background

Used diapers in Japan are mainly disposed of as general waste by incineration facilities operated by waste disposal companies and local municipalities, and the amount of waste handled in the future is expected to grow as the aging of society further advances. When the energy consumption and CO₂ emissions associated with the incineration of used diapers becoming an issue, Kurita searched for a solution, leveraging its knowledge and expertise in the business field of water and the environment to develop^*1 the Kurita SAMS System, enabling the recycling of used diapers.

■Features of the Developed Product

The Kurita SAMS System was developed utilizing technologies^*2 listed in the Guidelines for the Recycling of Used Diapers issued by the Ministry of the Environment. A bag tearing function has been added to the system. This allows the used diapers to be kept sealed in plastic bags when fed into the system for separation, resulting in improved hygiene and better work efficiency. The used diapers are washed and broken down using a cleaning solution that contains a dedicated disinfection and superabsorbent polymer reducing agent. This separates the waste into plastic components such as the plastic bags and treated water that contains pulp. The separated material can be turned into solid fuel to be used for energy or recycled and used as recycled plastic or other materials. In addition, the system can process approximately 13.5 tons of used diapers per day as standard^*3, reduces water usage through wastewater reclamation and effectively utilizes waste heat, enabling energy-saving operation. Higher or lower used diaper processing volumes can also be handled flexibly by adjusting the number of operating cycles and number of units installed.

■Future Development

With the rollout of the Kurita SAMS System going forward, Kurita will reduce waste generation and contribute to reductions in energy usage and CO₂ emissions by promoting the recycling of used diapers. Kurita will also work on recycling each of the separated materials, with the future aim of creating energy by applying methane fermentation technologies to the treated water containing separated and treated pulp. In these ways, Kurita will work to develop and roll out technologies and services that can make use of limited resources and recycled materials in optimum ways, contributing to the realization of a sustainable society.

■Kurita plans to set up a display of the Kurita SAMS System when exhibiting at the 32nd New Environmental Exposition 2023 / the 15th Global Warming Prevention Exhibition 2023 to be held at Tokyo Big Sight from May 24 to 26, 2023). Please visit us.

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• *1Adopted as part of the Demonstration Project to Build a Resource Recycling System for Plastics to Support a Decarbonized Society (Ministry of the Environment subsidy for CO₂ emission control measure projects (FY2021 and FY2022).
• *2In 2022 a patent license agreement was entered into with SAMS Inc.
• *3With three Kurita SAMS System units operating as one system for 24 hours a day.