Globally, its estimated that 300,000 disposable nappies are sent to landfill or incinerated every minute, leading to environmental issues as many contain plastics and synthetic materials and can take hundreds of years to decompose. While there's sustainable alternatives such as washable nappies, the effort and cost limits how widely they're used. Over the years many start-ups have marketed greener alternatives to disposable nappies. Can the latest make an impression? Texas-based company Hiro Technologies has created unbleached disposable diapers that comes with a packet of fungi which is added to the used diaper when it's ready to be thrown away. The fungi are able to break down and digest the diaper over time, says co-founder Miki Agrawa, who started the brand after being shocked by how many nappies her son was going through. The diapers cost $136 (£100) for a month's supply, though there is a subscription price of $199. That's significantly more than regular disposables, which are estimated to cost cost around $70 a month.Is the price out of range for most parents? Price tags aside, Sonali Jagadev, senior research analyst at Euromonitor, says progress in creating a more innovative and sustainable nappy remains slow and uneven due to several factors including high production costs and supply chain constraints. And, of course, there are consumer priorities. "Parents continue to prioritise performance, hygiene and convenience over sustainability, meaning brands take a risk if greener solutions compromise any of these core expectations."
BBQ - Do you think there will ever be enough demand for a sustainable nappy?
