Copenhagen launches diaper recycling program

Copenhagen has begun collecting used diapers separately for recycling, a move aimed at reducing the 50 million diapers the city currently sends for incineration annually. The city is deploying specialized containers in apartment buildings and municipal nurseries.

The collected waste will be processed at Denmark’s first recycling facility in Hvidovre. Officials estimate that between 85 and 94 percent of the diaper mass, including organic content, can be converted into new materials. Plastics will be used for new products, while cellulose and organic matter will produce biogas, electricity, and heat. High-absorbency polymers may also be utilized in the construction industry.

Line Barfod, the Copenhagen Councilor for Climate, Environment, and Technology, stated that recycling diapers instead of burning them provides a significant contribution to the climate. The program will expand to nursing homes and senior housing in February 2027. By 2029, the city and neighboring Frederiksberg aim to collect up to 5,000 tons of diapers annually through the company Verdis.