| Yes, we're talking about recycling. In today's age of | | | | article in OMNI magazine entitled "Oil from Anything". |
| recyclers - who would have thought that dirty diapers | | | | Tyson is currently making Diesel fuel (cleaner than |
| could be recycled into anything? Thanks to those | | | | what you get from the pump) from chicken and turkey |
| great minds who thought up the idea and went to | | | | guts, feathers, feet, etc. |
| work on making it a reality. | | | | The process in Quebec will use infant diapers all the |
| As we all know, adult diapers and infant diapers are | | | | way to adult diapers. While this fuel probably won't be |
| currently burned or buried in landfills. These disposal | | | | utilized for diesel vehicles, it can be utilized in almost |
| methods that either create CO2 or are in danger of | | | | any industrial application. |
| releasing hazardous substances and other pollution to | | | | As for the process in Japan, because their adult |
| the surrounding area. But there's a green use that's | | | | diapers and baby diapers are manufactured differently |
| been found for these convenient, necessary, | | | | [Japans diapers are primarily paper vs plastic/polymer |
| incontinence products. | | | | combination used in North America] - the end result is |
| In Quebec, Canada, a plant is being built that will turn | | | | a different type of fuel. A bacteria free, odorless, pellet |
| dirty diapers into diesel by using pyrolosis. What is | | | | that can be used in biomass boilers or heating |
| Pyrolysis? Pyrolysis heats up the diapers in a closed, | | | | systems. |
| controlled environment at temperatures of up to 600C | | | | So, yet one more way to recycle! Using soiled adult |
| without air, essentially breaking them down thermally - | | | | diapers and infant diapers to make fuels that we need |
| and with no emissions. If you want to know more | | | | in everyday life which reduces the impact on our |
| about pyrolysis, Google it to get the whole picture. Also | | | | landfills. |
| read back issues of Scientific American & look for an | | | | |