Copenhagen launches diaper recycling scheme to feed district heating and industrial uses

Copenhagen’s climate and environment deputy, Λίνε Μπάρφοντ, said the municipality will roll out a diaper-recycling initiative that replaces incineration with resource recovery. Collection will begin in childcare centres and later expand to senior-care homes, with specially designed containers placed in building courtyards. The recovered plastics, super-absorbent polymers, liquids and fecal matter will be processed at a dedicated plant to produce biogas, electricity and heat for the city’s district-heating network, as well as feedstock for automotive interior parts and construction products.

The program aims to capture about 5,000 tonnes of diaper waste once fully operational in 2029. Denmark already recycles roughly half of its municipal waste, and the new scheme is positioned as a further step toward circular-economy leadership.