In an innovative step to protect the environment and declining “paper supplies,” Japan launched the world’s first eco-friendly toilet paper made from used diapers.
According to KNews, in an initiative to protect the environment, a team of Japan’s governmental and private firms made the world's first toilet paper made from materials including used diapers, “Shibushi Osaki Roll.”
The Shibushi and Osaki in Kagoshima Prefecture worked with the private firms on the project. The two municipalities with joint waste management systems started separating disposable diapers in April 2024 from other trash, and between April and September, they collected 98 metric tonnes of hygiene items and turned them into toilet paper.
During the initial two months of the production, 30,000 rolls were created, which are currently sold at a pittance of just $2.70 per dozen.
A Japanese newspaper, the Mainichi, quoted Satoshi Yoshida from Poppy Paper’s sales department saying, “This initiative could help diversify the ways to secure raw materials, especially as used paper supplies are expected to decline with the rise of paperless systems and a shrinking population.”
The recycling process involves three significant steps: sterilising, deodorising, and bleaching using the technology provided by Tokyo-based hygiene product maker Unicharm Corp.
Moreover, a spokesperson for the Osaki Municipal Government’s SDGs Promotion Council, Takumi Obo, urged, “Please support this eco-friendly product, which aims to promote a sustainable society by reusing local resources.”
The recycled toilet paper is currently available at the seven stores in Kyushu’s Kagoshima Prefecture's Osumi region and southern Miyazaki Prefecture.
