East Devon District Council is looking at introducing a new 'nappy and hygiene product' kerbside recycling collection.

If implemented, it will recycle this product 'in an environmentally friendly way' and would be the first council in the UK to do it.

Councillors and officers visited Nappi Cycle in Wales recently – one of the only companies in the world which processes and recycles used nappies and other AHPs (absorbent hygiene products).

Nappi Cycle uses friction washing to break down used nappies and AHPs into clean reusable products. In Wales, the recycled nappies are then being used in asphalt for road surfacing, composite deck boards, and other secondary products.

The next steps for EDDC will be to arrange the specifics of the trial and check the data, information, and finances to ensure the proposal is viable. It is anticipated the trial, using a test area in East Devon, could start from Autumn 2024 – this is all subject to permits being obtained.

Nappies and AHP would be collected at the kerbside by contractor Suez and recycled by Nappi Cycle.

The council say the scheme will 'give residents more space in their black bin', which is collected every three weeks and 'help the environment.;

An agreement in the EDDC budget to trial the scheme through the EDDC Recycling and Waste (R&W) Partnership Board in 2023. The end product, once recycled could be used East Devon car parks and possibly Devon’s roads could use asphalt with this recycled component.

Councillor Geoff Jung, EDDC’s portfolio holder for Coast, Country, and Environment, said: “If the proposed trial is successful, East Devon could be the first English authority to take up this innovative nappy recycling. Nappies are considered to be one of the largest single problematic products  for our residual waste bins, and removing these products and recycling them instead would help our residents and at the same time help the environment too."

“Following the lead from the Welsh Government, who are forward-thinking when it comes to recycling and the impact on the environment, will see  East Devon increase its recycling percentage even higher, to what is already one of the best performing recycling Councils in England ”