Used disposable diaper recycling management device, management system, and management method

Abstract

This invention provides a used disposable diaper recycling management device, management system, and management method for recycling used disposable diapers, which are discarded in large quantities in places such as daycare centers, hospitals, and nursing homes, into plastic products other than disposable diapers, thereby promoting resource circulation. [Solution] Used disposable diapers are collected, and the system includes a quality control unit 13 that manages the moisture content of the fluff and the mixing ratio with other materials for producing pellets that will be used as raw materials for plastic products other than disposable diapers from the fluff generated from the collected used disposable diapers, and a quality data transmission unit 14 that transmits the moisture content and mixing ratio managed by the quality control unit 13 to a pellet manufacturing plant that produces the pellets. As a result, used disposable diapers, which are discarded in large quantities in places such as daycare centers, hospitals, and nursing homes, can be recycled into various plastic products other than disposable diapers, thereby enabling resource recycling.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a used paper diaper recycling management device, a management system, and a management method for recycling used paper diapers, which are discarded in large quantities in nurseries, hospitals, nursing facilities, etc., into plastic products other than paper diapers.

Background Art

[0002] Used paper diapers discarded in large quantities in hospitals, nursing facilities, etc. are increasing year by year in recent years in an aging society, and there is a current situation where it is difficult to handle them. In that case, even when they are collected simply for disposal, the cost of collection continues to increase, and for hospitals, nursing facilities, etc., the expenditure amounts to a considerable amount, which causes a problem of greatly affecting the operation.

[0003] Also, for waste disposal operators, used paper diapers not only increase in weight due to containing a large amount of moisture, but also have problems such as being difficult to burn when incinerated and the problem of bad odor. For operators who handle a large amount of used paper diapers, there is a problem that they are struggling to handle the continuously increasing used paper diapers year by year.

[0004] Therefore, in order to reduce such problems at least a little, recycling methods and devices for paper diapers that remove moisture from used paper diapers, separate them by material, and reuse them have been considered and disclosed (for example, see Patent Document 1). Also, technologies for regenerating used paper diapers and new paper diapers have been considered and published (for example, see Patent Document 2).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

[0006] However, conventional recycling technologies for used disposable diapers, such as those described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, aim to produce a single recycled product, such as recycled pulp for cardboard raw materials or new disposable diapers, and do not aim to circulate resources by recycling them into various products.

[0007] This invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a used disposable diaper recycling management device, management system, and management method for recycling used disposable diapers, which are discarded in large quantities in places such as daycare centers, hospitals, and nursing homes, into various plastic products other than disposable diapers, thereby promoting resource circulation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To achieve the above objective, this invention provides a used disposable diaper recycling management device for recycling used disposable diapers into plastic products other than disposable diapers, comprising: a collection receiving unit for collecting used disposable diapers; a fluff generating unit for generating fluff from the used disposable diapers collected by the collection receiving unit; a quality control unit for managing the moisture content of the fluff and the mixing ratio with other materials for generating pellets that will be used as raw materials for plastic products other than disposable diapers from the fluff generated by the fluff generating unit; and a quality data transmission unit for transmitting the moisture content and mixing ratio managed by the quality control unit to a pellet manufacturing plant that will produce the pellets. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] This invention's used diaper recycling management device enables resource circulation by recycling used diapers, which are discarded in large quantities in places like daycare centers, hospitals, and nursing homes, into various plastic products other than diapers. Furthermore, because it controls the moisture content of the fluff used to generate pellets that serve as raw materials for plastic products other than diapers, it can produce high-quality pellets. This has the added benefit of creating a variety of plastic products that are virtually indistinguishable from recycled goods, as they are made without washing or dissolving used diapers. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is an illustrative diagram showing the flow of materials using the used disposable diaper recycling management device according to Embodiment 1 of this invention, illustrating resource circulation. [Figure 2] This is a functional block diagram showing an example of the functional overview of the used disposable diaper recycling management device in Embodiment 1 of this invention. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram showing an example of items recycled from used disposable diapers (garbage bags and trash cans) using the used disposable diaper recycling management device according to Embodiment 1 of this invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] This invention relates to a used disposable diaper recycling management device, management system, and management method for recycling used disposable diapers, which are discarded in large quantities in places such as daycare centers, hospitals, and nursing homes, into plastic products other than disposable diapers. The embodiments of this invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0012] Embodiment 1. Figure 1 is an illustrative diagram of resource circulation showing the flow of materials using the used diaper recycling management device in Embodiment 1 of this invention. As shown in Figure 1, used diapers are collected from daycare centers, hospitals, nursing homes, etc., by collection companies. After that, they undergo processing such as removal of organic matter and odor, and removal of moisture and drying to produce fluff (used diapers that have been washed, decontaminated, dried, and then finely crushed). Quality control is then performed to produce pellets from this fluff, and pellets are produced according to the quality control information. These pellets are then processed into plastic products other than diapers and sold.

[0013] Plastic products other than disposable diapers (such as garbage bags, trash cans, and planters) manufactured and processed in this way are sold in supermarkets and home improvement stores, or used in their original daycare centers, hospitals, and nursing homes. Furthermore, the recycling management device 10 in Embodiment 1 of this invention, as shown enclosed by a dashed line in Figure 1, is responsible for the collection of used disposable diapers by the collection company, fluff generation, and quality control, and aims to promote resource circulation as described above regarding the flow of materials.

[0014] Figure 2 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the functional overview of a used diaper recycling management device in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. As shown in Figure 2, the recycling management device 10 includes at least a collection reception unit 11 for collecting used diapers from places such as nurseries, hospitals, and nursing homes; a fluff generation unit 12 for generating fluff from the used diapers collected by the collection reception unit 11; a quality control unit 13 for managing the moisture content of the fluff and the mixing ratio with other materials for generating pellets from the fluff generated by the fluff generation unit 12; and a quality data transmission unit 14 for transmitting the moisture content and mixing ratio managed by the quality control unit 13 to a pellet manufacturing plant.

[0015] The collection reception unit 11 collects used disposable diapers from facilities such as daycare centers, hospitals, and nursing homes. It also receives and stores information such as which facilities collect used disposable diapers, how frequently and in what quantities, and how much moisture they typically contain. The used disposable diapers collected by the collection reception unit 11 may contain the collection bag, baby wipes, used tissue paper, and newspaper, but they must not contain metal or cloth so as not to interfere with the drying process.

[0016] The fluff generation unit 12 processes the used disposable diapers collected by the collection reception unit 11, including washing, foreign matter removal, and drying, to generate fluff. During this process, after removing organic matter and odors, and removing moisture and drying, the unit also stores information such as the composition ratio of the polymer resin, including the components contained in the generated fluff and the percentage of each component present. As mentioned above, the collection reception unit 11 collects used disposable diapers that do not contain metal or cloth, so the components of the fluff generated from them include pulp, superabsorbent polymers, polypropylene, polyethylene, and rubber.

[0017] The Quality Control Department 13 specifies pellet information for what kind of pellets to be produced from the fluff produced by the fluff production unit 12 as raw materials for plastic products other than disposable diapers. It also determines and manages the amount of water (water content of the fluff) and the mixing ratio of polymer resins (such as polypropylene and polyethylene, which are virgin plastic materials) to be mixed with the fluff necessary to produce the pellets with the specified pellet information from the fluff produced by the fluff production unit 12. In other words, the Quality Control Department 13 manages the water content of the fluff and the mixing ratio with other materials in order to produce pellets that will be used as raw materials for plastic products other than disposable diapers from the fluff produced by the fluff production unit 12.

[0018] The quality data transmission unit 14 transmits the moisture content and the mixing ratio managed by the quality control unit 13 to the pellet manufacturing plant that produces the pellets. As a result, in the pellet manufacturing plant, by receiving the fluff generated by the fluff generation unit 12 and the quality data (moisture content and mixing ratio) sent from the quality data transmission unit 14, pellets of a specified type can be generated. The pellets are generated by processing the fluff into powder and then mixing it with a polymer resin and extruding it. Note that the particle size of the fluff powder, the particle size of the pellets, etc. will vary depending on what plastic product is processed from the pellets, so the particle size may be set at the pellet manufacturing plant.

[0019] Here, an actual example of what plastic products can be processed by the used diaper recycling management device 10 in the first embodiment of this invention will be disclosed. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of articles (garbage bags and trash cans) recycled from used diapers by using the used diaper recycling management device in the first embodiment of this invention.

[0020] Currently, experiments are being conducted to process various plastic products other than diapers with the used diaper recycling management device 10 in the first embodiment of this invention, and soft (flexible) garbage bags as shown in FIG. 3(a), hard trash cans and planters as shown in FIG. 3(b), etc. have been prototyped and can be used.

[0021] And thus, since there is a major premise that the original product is a diaper and the used diaper is used as a raw material, considering the particularity of the collected used diapers, that is, the particularity that the moisture content is very high and it contains dirt and odors, it is also a different point from the normal situation that it is necessary to perform fluff generation. Note that the dots shown in FIGS. 3(a) and (b) are intended to represent that recycled substances are mixed.

[0022] Furthermore, since the goal is to recycle the original plastic product, disposable diapers, into a different plastic product, unlike simple recycling, if the quality of the resulting plastic product is not controlled, the problem arises that only unusable products will be produced. Therefore, the processing by the Quality Control Department 13 is particularly important.

[0023] Here, we will explain in more detail what kind of control the Quality Control Department 13 actually performs. For example, when recycling into garbage bags as shown in Figure 3(a), the Quality Control Department 13 specifies pellet information that pellets to be used as raw materials for garbage bags will be produced from the fluff generated by the fluff generation unit 12, and controls the moisture content of the fluff to 5% or less as the amount of moisture required to produce the pellets specified in the pellet information. In addition, it determines and controls the mixing ratio of fluff to other materials required to produce the pellets specified in the pellet information, for example, 1% fluff and 99% polyethylene. When the fluff is powdered before being mixed with polyethylene, the finer the particle size, the thinner the plastic bag that can be manufactured, and in prototypes, it has been possible to manufacture garbage bags with a thickness of 60 μm.

[0024] Furthermore, when recycling into hard plastic products such as trash cans and planters, as shown in Figure 3(b), the quality control unit 13 specifies pellet information for generating pellets that will be used as raw materials for trash cans and planters from the fluff generated by the fluff generation unit 12, and controls the moisture content of the fluff to 5% or less as the amount of moisture required to generate the pellets specified in the pellet information. In addition, it determines and controls the mixing ratio of fluff to other materials required to generate the pellets specified in the pellet information, for example, a mixing ratio of 30% fluff and 70% polypropylene.

[0025] There are several reasons for controlling the moisture content of the fluff to 5% or less. First, drying the moisture contained in used disposable diapers to 5% or less reduces odor. In this process, the fluff is processed at a temperature of 120°C or higher to make it negative for E. coli. Also, the temperature used to manufacture pellets from the generated fluff is 200°C or higher. If the moisture content of the fluff is higher than 5%, the contained moisture will evaporate, causing foaming during pellet manufacturing, which may prevent pellet production or result in quality problems even if pellets are produced. Therefore, the moisture content of the fluff is controlled to 5% or less to prevent problems during pellet production.

[0026] Furthermore, it is desirable for the Quality Control Department 13 to be able to control not only the moisture content of the fluff but also the particle size when the fluff is powdered. This is because the particle size of the fluff affects the quality of the pellets and processed plastic products manufactured from that fluff. However, since the blending ratio of polymer resins differs depending on the type of disposable diaper, it is currently difficult for the Quality Control Department 13 to specify the particle size when the fluff is powdered, and therefore they do not go that far. In this regard, it is possible to guarantee the quality of the plastic products by adjusting the blending ratio of the fluff used as raw material and the virgin plastic material used during pellet manufacturing or processing into plastic products, or by using other additive materials.

[0027] Furthermore, as described above, in order to produce high-quality plastic products other than disposable diapers through the quality control process in the Quality Control Department 13 and subsequent adjustments in the manufacturing and processing plants, it is also extremely important that the used disposable diapers collected by the Collection Reception Department 11 do not contain any metal or cloth.

[0028] Thus, experiments have progressed to the point where plastic products, regardless of their flexibility, such as soft garbage bags, hard trash cans, and planters, can be recycled into plastic products other than disposable diapers. While it may be difficult to practically recycle used disposable diapers into items that people put in their mouths, such as cups, prototypes have been made to recycle them into cups and other plastic products, demonstrating that it is physically possible.

[0029] Furthermore, although this embodiment 1 and Figure 2 describe the used diaper recycling management device as a single device 10, it goes without saying that the used diaper recycling management system may also consist of multiple devices, such as a computer or server with the function of a collection reception unit 11, a computer or server with the function of a fluff generation unit 12, and a computer or server with the functions of a quality control unit 13 and a quality data transmission unit 14.

[0030] As described above, the used diaper recycling management device 10 in Embodiment 1 of this invention enables resource recycling as shown in Figure 1 by recycling used diapers, which are discarded in large quantities in places such as daycare centers, hospitals, and nursing homes, into various plastic products other than diapers. Furthermore, since the moisture content of the fluff used to generate pellets that become raw materials for plastic products other than diapers is controlled, high-quality pellets can be produced, and various plastic products can be created that do not appear to be recycled products made by processing used diapers without washing or dissolving them.

[0031] Furthermore, within the scope of the present invention, any component of the embodiment can be modified or any component of the embodiment can be omitted. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0032] 10. Used diaper recycling management device 11 Collection Reception Department 12 Fluff generation section 13 Quality Control Department 14. Quality Data Transmission Unit

Claims

1. A used disposable diaper recycling management device for recycling used disposable diapers into plastic products other than disposable diapers, A collection reception area for collecting the aforementioned used disposable diapers, A fluff generating unit that generates fluff from the used disposable diapers collected by the collection receiving unit, A quality control unit manages the water content of the fluff and the mixing ratio with other materials for producing pellets that will be used as raw materials for plastic products other than disposable diapers from the fluff produced by the fluff production unit, A quality data transmission unit transmits the moisture content and blending ratio managed by the quality control unit to the pellet manufacturing plant that produces the pellets. A used disposable diaper recycling management device characterized by comprising the following:

2. A used disposable diaper recycling management system for recycling used disposable diapers into plastic products other than disposable diapers, A collection reception area for collecting the aforementioned used disposable diapers, A fluff generating unit that generates fluff from the used disposable diapers collected by the collection receiving unit, A quality control unit manages the water content of the fluff and the mixing ratio with other materials for producing pellets that will be used as raw materials for plastic products other than disposable diapers from the fluff produced by the fluff production unit, A quality data transmission unit transmits the moisture content and blending ratio managed by the quality control unit to the pellet manufacturing plant that produces the pellets. A used diaper recycling management system characterized by having the following features.

3. A method for managing the recycling of used disposable diapers, for recycling used disposable diapers into plastic products other than disposable diapers, The collection reception area collects the used disposable diapers, The fluff generation unit generates fluff from the used disposable diapers collected by the collection receiving unit, The Quality Control Department controls the water content of the fluff and the mixing ratio with other materials for producing pellets that will be used as raw materials for plastic products other than disposable diapers from the fluff produced by the fluff production unit, The quality data transmission unit transmits the moisture content and blending ratio, which have been managed by the quality control unit, to the pellet manufacturing plant that produces the pellets. A method for managing the recycling of used disposable diapers, characterized by comprising the following:

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