U.S. startup uses fungi to accelerate disposable diaper decomposition

Austin, Texas-based startup Hiro Technologies is introducing an innovative solution to reduce the environmental impact of disposable diapers: using fungi to accelerate plastic degradation. The company recently launched MycoDigestible Diapers, each packaged with a special fungi blend designed for this process.

The concept is straightforward: after use, consumers add the fungi sachet to the soiled diaper before discarding it. Moisture from feces, urine, and the surrounding environment activates the fungi, initiating the plastic decomposition process within one to two weeks.

The challenge Hiro Technologies aims to address is significant. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), approximately 4 million tons of disposable diapers were sent to landfills in the United States in 2018, with little to no recycling or composting infrastructure. Disposable diapers can take hundreds of years to break down naturally.

The company’s inspiration stems from earlier research on fungi’s potential for plastic degradation. In 2011, Yale University researchers discovered a fungus species in Ecuador capable of consuming polyurethane, a common polymer in plastic products. The identified fungus, Pestalotiopsis microspora, demonstrated the ability to survive on plastic even in low-oxygen environments like landfills.

According to Tero Isokauppila, Finnish co-founder of Hiro Technologies and founder of the medicinal mushroom company Four Sigmatic, over 100 fungi species are now known to break down plastics.

“Many, many moons ago, fungi evolved to break down trees, especially this hard-to-break-down compound in trees called lignin. … Its carbon backbone is very similar to the carbon backbone of plastics because essentially they’re made out of the same thing”, Isokauppila explained.

At the company’s lab, three sealed jars display different stages of diaper decomposition over time. After nine months, the material resembles dark soil – what Isokauppila describes as “just digested plastic and essentially earth”.

Hiro Technologies emphasizes that further research is needed to understand how the product will decompose in real-world conditions across different climates. The company expects to gather sufficient data for a consumer-facing communication campaign by next year.

Looking ahead, Hiro plans to explore the use of plastic-eating fungi in adult diapers, feminine hygiene products, and other disposable hygiene items.

For now, MycoDigestible Diapers are available online, sold in weekly bundles priced at $35. Miki Agrawal, Hiro’s co-founder and the founder of period underwear brand Thinx, stated that the launch has generated strong interest from both consumers and investors, though she did not disclose specific figures.

“There is a deleterious lasting effect that we haven’t really thought about and considered,” Agrawal said. “Because when you throw something away, no one’s asking themselves, ‘Where’s away?’”.