• Resources Recycling
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.43-50
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• 2015

An extensive literature survey and personal communication with relevant experts made it possible to understand economic and technical feasibility of disposable diaper recycling. Commercial level of soiled diaper recycling technology is currently available from a Dutch company, Knowaste Co., who owns a proprietary separation technology of the pulps, plastics and super absorbing polymer (SAP). In Korea, on the other hand, pre-consumer diaper recycling technology without material separation at its infancy converts manufacturing scraps into refuse plastic fuel (RPF), container/truck cargo boards or automobile boards/sheets. Although previous studies on feasibility of post-consumer recycling in Korea showed mutually contradictory implication, it was found out in this research that significantly positive economic feasibility can be obtained with pre-consumer diaper recycling. Subsequent recycling R&D including pre-consumer scrap and policy support may expedite 'Establishment of Sustainable Society.

• Journal of Korea Technical Association of The Pulp and Paper Industry
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.24-33
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• 2015

This study aims to suggest wastewater treatment options for diaper recycling by identifying characteristic analysis of wastewater from diaper recycling process and efficiency evaluation of wastewater treatment units. The wastewater characteristic analysis showed that the concentration of organic pollutants and ionic materials were very high comparing to seawater. Through the investigation of similar wastewater treatment, six treatment units were identified to reduce pollutants. It is found UF(ultra-filtration), DAF(dissolved air flotation), fenton oxidation, electro-coagulation and chemical-coagulation are effective in reducing organic pollutants while membrane system and ion exchanger are effective in reducing ionic materials. Even though the target of water quality should be secured in terms of managing organic pollutants level, the application of treatment unit for reducing ionic material needs lots of considerations. This result suggests that reuse of pulping wastewater after controlling organic pollutants is better than direct discharge of pulping wastewater. To select the appropriate wastewater treatment unit, an economic analysis about operation condition, wastewater flow, cost, efficiency should be considered.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.29-38
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• 2017

This study suggests optimal policy options for collection of used diapers through benchmarking of foreign countries and perception surveys. By conducting a survey, this study can identify the actual problems involved in the collection process and enhance the social acceptance toward diaper recycling policies. As a perception survey result, the economic burden of emission bags and sanitary issues were most important for the collection pilot test. Respondents thought that twice-a-week collection frequency was appropriate and that free emission bags might be preferable to participants. Currently municipal wastes are subject to waste management laws, which are applied by local governments. Diaper waste is categorized with municipal waste, so it seems to be treated by municipal waste systems. In terms of connection with government, possible alternatives were suggested to identify the relevant local government. Useful data could be obtained, to determine the economical viability of any future diaper recycling system implementation in the entire Seoul metropolis and adjacent areas of dense population.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.16-26
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• 2015

This study aims to suggest possible policy options for collection of post-consumer diapers as a sustainable prerequisite to implementation of public recycling system with the desktop monitoring results and analysis of collection cost involved. By conducting a diaper collection pilot test on daycare centers and households in the Seoul Nowon-gu, this study revealed that the odor issues did not stand out as an important hindering factor and that the collection rate was the largest contributing factor regarding collection costs. The exploratory cost analysis result shows that the implemented recycling system must guarantee collection rate over 50% via twice-a-week collection frequency, to be comparable or even superior to the current food waste collection cost. Also the pilot demonstration test showed that the final collection rate can be achieved as much as over 50%. The promising data thus obtained cost economically viable future diaper recycling system implementation in the entire Seoul metropolis and adjacent areas of dense population. With the concomitant development of recycling technology and related infrastructure for systematic collection of diaper waste, it makes our society much more sustainable.

• Journal of Korea Technical Association of The Pulp and Paper Industry
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.66-75
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• 2015

Disposable diaper waste is consisted of plastic, fiber, and SAP (Super Absorbent Polymer). They are valuable to be used as raw materials of other products including plastic blocks and pulp mold. Nevertheless, disposable diaper waste have been disposed by landfill and incineration without recycling. Due to strict environmental regulations it is necessary to develop fractionation technique to recycle the disposable diaper waste. In this study the fractionation technique using pilot-scale stock preparation units was investigated. Process for separation of plastic and fibers from disposable diaper waste was composed by the combination of pilot-scale pulper, drum screen, screen and cleaner. Recovery rate of plastics and fiber was checked according to the various operating conditions. In drum screen, recovery rate of plastic was high when the cut size of disposable diaper waste was $5cm{\times}5cm$. The highest recovery rate of fiber was achieved with 0.3 mm slot screen. It is important to control the neutral state of SAP for improvement of recovery rate of fiber since SAP can be swelled easily in water. Therefore SAP can be controlled efficiently by the addition of calcium chloride into the pulper. Consequently recovery rates of plastics and fibers were over 90 and 80% under the optimum pilot operating conditions.

• Journal of Korea Technical Association of The Pulp and Paper Industry
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.1-8
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• 2015

Disposable diaper has been used in order to handle urine and feces conveniently. At present the amount of disposable diaper waste increases gradually. Incineration and landfill have been the only ways to dispose of disposable diapers. However, if they are disposed by landfill, decomposition will take more than one hundred years. In addition, another way of dispose incineration has caused air pollution. Therefore, it is necessary to study recycling process for disposable diaper since plastic and wood fibers of diaper are useful materials to recycle. In this study, pulping condition of disposable diaper waste was studied in order to effectively separate the components. Recovery rates of plastic and fibers were analyzed under different pulping conditions. It was found that optimum pulping consistency was 5%, time was 60 minutes, temperature was $50^{\circ}C$, and cut size is $21cm{\times}21cm$. The recovery rate of plastic and fibers can be achieved above 70% under the optimum pulping condition.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.22-32
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• 2015

This study aims to discuss the concept of upcycling as it applies to diaper recycling. Upcycling is the process of converting waste materials into new products of better quality. Through benchmarking of upcycling examples, useless objects can be transformed into valuable materials. However, current upcycling examples determine value creation related to qualitative elements, so that it is difficult to establish any quantitative strategy of upcycled products. Therefore, this study expands a B2B (Business to business) product for improving market availability and establishes a direction using both recovered pulp and mixed plastic at the same time. As a result, the upcycling method for recovered pulp and mixed plastics, is the application of a cellulose insulator. Within the near future, the high quality insulator market will grow more than three times. An upcycling strategy targeting the high quality insulator market needs to be established.