Stories

Fri, 13 Mar 2026

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 Can plastic-eating funghi help clean up nappy waste?

Cost and convenience have made disposable nappies dominant - can start-ups compete?

* Leila Green, a mother of triplets, tried using reusable nappies but found it too difficult and opted for disposables instead.
* Globally, an estimated 300,000 disposable nappies are sent to landfill or incinerated every minute, leading to environmental issues.
* Texas-based company Hiro Technologies has created unbleached disposable diapers with fungi that break down the diaper over time.
* The price of Hiro's diapers ($136 for a month's supply) is significantly higher than regular disposables but co-founder Miki Agrawa says it's a great deal for baby and the planet.
* Demand for sustainable nappies remains slow due to high production costs, supply chain constraints, and consumer priorities (performance, hygiene, convenience over sustainability).
* Other start-ups, such as Woosh in Belgium, are working on greener alternatives, including easier-to-recycle nappies and a circular model for recycling.
* Pura is also focused on recycling, with support from the Welsh government, and recycles 60 million nappies annually in Wales.