700158Improving the fate of Absorbent Hygiene Product (AHP) waste via the identification of suitable end markets for recycled cellulosic fibres and the introduction of fibre cleaning techniques.ClosedGRD Proof of MarketInnovate UKIn 2011, Knowaste became the UK's first company to recycle absorbent hygiene products (AHPs) when it opened an innovative treatment facility in West Bromwich. When full-scale operation is reached, the plant will be able to handle 36k tons of commercially derived waste AHPs per year. AHPs include disposable nappies, adult incontinence products and feminine hygiene products. Designed for comfort and protection, AHPs consist of several materials - fibres to absorb moisture, super absorbent polymers (SAP) to retain moisture and plastic membranes and tabs to keep the user dry and secure. Knowaste's patented processes allow for the separation of these constituent materials in preparation for recycling, offering significant sustainability advantages over the currently employed method for disposal - land filling. Although the products can be incinerated, the high moisture content makes AHPs an undesirable feedstock for this disposal method (dewatering pre-treatments would be required). Around 750k tons of the UK's 1.2 million tons of AHP waste generated yearly, comes from the domestic (including NHS) sector. Knowaste wishes to expand on a regional basis to accommodate this material stream as well as handling a greater volume of commercial waste. For the expansion programme to make commercial sense and have minimal environmental impact, local markets for incoming waste must be mapped to avoid excess transportation of materials. Local and high value outlets for the company's cellulosic fibre recyclate must also be identified. Optimal geographical locations for new plants can then be deduced. This proof of market project will address these issues.