Huggies and Bright Horizons partner to turn used diapers into renewable energy

Kimberly-Clark’s Huggies brand in the U.S. and selected Bright Horizons child care centers in Boston are partnering on a new pilot program to convert used diapers and wipes into electricity, heat or fuel by converting waste to energy. This program is expected to divert thousands of pounds of waste from local landfills over the next year.

Matt Barresi, vice president of the Huggies brand in North America stated “Huggies is passionate about providing innovative solutions to better serve consumers and communities,” “Whether we have the original Leak Lock blowout blocker since 1997, a 20% thicker baby wipe or a solution to help keep diapers and wipes out of landfills, we are proud to partner on this innovative program to help create a more sustainable environment.”

Waste-to-energy technology, managed by partners at Covanta, offsets the use of fossil fuels and reduces carbon emissions and methane generation at landfills in North America, including Boston. This process involves burning non-hazardous waste to generate steam and produce electricity, while the resulting ash is processed to recover metal and recycle it, and gases are collected and filtered to reduce environmental impact.

“Diaper waste in landfills has been an ongoing concern for our local families and we are thrilled to partner with Huggies to help generate a positive environmental impact in the Boston community,” says Sondra Ahearn, Bright Horizons regional manager. “We remain dedicated to supporting our families and the communities in which they live, and this is the next step in that mission.”

The pilot will run in selected Bright Horizons centers in the Boston area. Pending results, Huggies and Bright Horizons will look to potentially expand the pilot to other major metropolitan cities.