If I told you that your baby’s dirty diapers could one day feed your roses, you would believe me? Probably not. And yet, it is the very serious ambition of the American start-up Hiro Technologies, which has just launched the mycodigestible diapers, Boosted biodegradable diapers with decomposing mushrooms. Sold $ 35 (around 30 €) on the week online, these revolutionary layers are intended to be respectful of the environment while being soft for the skin of toddlers. Once used, they do not go to the incinerator or discharge, but in a small mycological ritual: we add a sachet of spores provided for this purpose … and presto, in nine months approximately, they turn into real tempestal land. An innovation well in line with the challenges underlined by Notre-environnement.gouv.fr, which recalls that each citizen produces on average 525 kg of waste per year, including a good part in diapers for young parents. Discovery.
An idea born of mushrooms … and common sense
The classic disposable diapers, as practical as they are, pose a colossal ecological problem. Made from petroleum plastics, They take up to 500 years to break down in discharges. Result: the very first baby having worn a disposable layer in the 1960s perhaps still contributes today to the volume of our landfill sites! With the mycodigestible diapers, Hiro Technologies completely changes the situation. Their secret? Decomposers, capable of digesting the polymers present in the layers. Each layer is supplied with a small sachet of fungal spores to be added after use. Natural humidity active these microorganisms, which put themselves to work: they secrete special enzymes, capable of breaking the carbon links of plastic to transform them into organic matter. In addition, the layer itself is made up of unhappy cotton and wooden paste from sustainably managed forests. In short, it is as well thought out for the planet as for baby buttocks.
And, on the smell, what does that give?
This is the question that everyone is asking, right? Well, Hiro Technologies has thought about it too. Diapers mycodigestible are Delivered with a small hermetic and ventilated tankdesigned to promote decomposition while limiting the bad scent. Thanks to the action of mushrooms, the smells of ammonia and uric acid are quickly neutralized. A boon for parents who fear the “bin that stinks” … and a beautiful alternative to the traditional plastic bag sealed with triple knot that is discreetly buried at the bottom of the bucket!
Less polluting and active diapers, is this a great idea?
The concept of Hiro Technologies, being that their diapers are not only less polluting: they are active in their own decomposition. They participate in their end of life, literally. And that, admit that it is still quite strong. So yes, they are a bit expensive for the moment, and not yet available in Europe … but let’s face it A dirty layer transform into a soil in nine monthsit’s just a great idea, right?
In France, we have the Coco Couches site which offers a layer washing service, even if the principle is quite different from that of Hiro Technologies. And you ? What do you think of this solution? Would you be ready to adopt it if it was available in France? Tell us in comments: Click here to publish a comment. An error has slipped? You can also let us know!
