Beginning in May 2010, Knowaste Ltd., will open a new recycling facility in the England. Hopefully other countries will take notice and build their own dirty diaper recycling plants. Why? The average baby goes through 5,000 to 6,000 diapers by the time they are potty trained? That’s almost one full ton of waste per baby. Disposable diapers can take up to 500 years to decompose.

As well as baby diapers, the new UK plant will also accept adult hygiene waste from nursing homes and hospitals. The Birmingham facility is the first of five proposed plants in the UK.

Established in 1989, Knowaste recycles other absorbent hygiene products besides diapers – bed-liners, adult incontinence and feminine hygiene products. Disposable diapers consist of three parts: wood pulp, gel polymers and mixed plastic. According to the Knowaste, 98% of the disposable diaper can be recycled.