AUSTIN \u2014 Could baby poop and fungi work together to tackle landfill waste? That\u2019s the idea behind a new product launched by an Austin, Texas-based startup that sells disposable diapers paired with fungi intended to break down the plastic.<\/p>\n
Each of Hiro Technologies\u2019 MycoDigestible Diapers comes with a packet of fungi to be added to the dirty diaper before it is thrown in the trash. After a week or two, the fungi are activated by moisture from feces, urine and the environment to begin the process of biodegradation.<\/p>\n
Disposable diapers contribute significantly to landfill waste. An estimated 4 million tons of diapers were disposed of in the United States in 2018, with no significant recycling or composting, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. <\/p>\n
Diapers take hundreds of years to naturally break down. That means the very first disposable diaper ever used is still in a landfill somewhere.<\/p>\n
To tackle this, Hiro Technologies turned to fungi. These organisms \u2014 which include mushrooms, molds, yeasts and mildew \u2014 derive nutrients from decomposing organic matter. <\/p>\n
In 2011, Yale University researchers discovered a type of fungus in Ecuador that can feed on polyurethane, a common polymer in plastic products. They figured the fungus, Pestalotiopsis microspora, would be capable of surviving on plastic in environments lacking oxygen, like landfills.<\/p>\n
Hiro Technologies co-founder Tero Isokauppila, a Finnish entrepreneur who also founded medicinal mushroom company Four Sigmatic, said there are more than 100 species of fungi now known to break down plastics.<\/p>\n
\u201cMany, many moons ago, fungi evolved to break down trees, especially this hard-to-break-down compound in trees called lignin. … Its carbon backbone is very similar to the carbon backbone of plastics because essentially they\u2019re made out of the same thing,\u201d Isokauppila said.<\/p>\n
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Three sealed jars at Hiro Technologies\u2019 lab show the stages of decomposition of a treated diaper over time. By nine months, the product appears as black soil \u2014 \u201cjust digested plastic and essentially earth,\u201d Isokauppila said.<\/p>\n
The company says it needs to do more research to find out how the product will decompose in real-world conditions in different climates and hopes to have the data to make a \u201cconsumer-facing claim\u201d by next year. It also plans to experiment with plastic-eating fungi on adult diapers, feminine care products and other items.<\/p>\n
For now, it is selling \u201cdiaper bundles\u201d for $35 a week online. Co-founder Miki Agrawal, who was also behind period underwear company Thinx, said the MycoDigestible Diapers had been generating excitement from consumers and investors since launching about a month ago, declining to give details. Agrawal said the company had chosen to focus on diapers as the top household plastic waste item.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is a deleterious lasting effect that we haven\u2019t really thought about and considered,\u201d Agrawal said. \u201cBecause when you throw something away, no one\u2019s asking themselves, \u2018Where\u2019s away?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
The introduction of MycoDigestible Diapers is a significant step towards reducing landfill waste. By utilizing fungi to break down plastic, Hiro Technologies is providing a revolutionary solution to a long-standing problem. As the company continues to research and develop its product, it is likely to have a substantial impact on the environment and the way we think about waste disposal.<\/p>\n
A: The main goal of Hiro Technologies\u2019 MycoDigestible Diapers is to reduce landfill waste by using fungi to break down the plastic in disposable diapers.<\/p>\n
A: The fungi in MycoDigestible Diapers are activated by moisture from feces, urine, and the environment, and they begin to break down the plastic in the diaper through a process of biodegradation.<\/p>\n
A: According to Hiro Technologies, the fungi can break down the plastic in MycoDigestible Diapers in as little as nine months, resulting in a product that appears as black soil.<\/p>\n
A: Yes, MycoDigestible Diapers are available for purchase online in \u201cdiaper bundles\u201d for $35 a week.<\/p>\n
A: The potential impact of MycoDigestible Diapers on the environment is significant, as they could reduce the amount of landfill waste and provide a more sustainable solution for disposable diaper disposal.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Revolutionary Solution to Tackle Landfill Waste AUSTIN \u2014 Could baby poop and fungi work together to tackle landfill waste? That\u2019s the idea behind a new product launched by an Austin, Texas-based startup that sells disposable diapers paired with fungi intended to break down the plastic. Each of Hiro Technologies\u2019 MycoDigestible Diapers comes with a packet […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":8533,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-8532","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/dmn-dallas-news-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com\/resizer\/v2\/TH3OXAMWBAS3NREIUPGIHERXYI.jpg?auth=3c62215d2b43a6be9edb77a1672383278c0e8a247200e07278b751a48adf6966&height=630&width=1200&smart=true&quality=80","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8532"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8532"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8532\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8534,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8532\/revisions\/8534"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8533"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8532"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8532"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8532"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}