Newswise — Around eight percent of the sand utilized in the production of a one-level dwelling using concrete and mortar has the potential to be substituted with shredded, discarded diapers, as indicated by a report featured in Scientific Reports. The researchers propose that the implementation of disposable diaper waste as a building resource for affordable housing in economically challenged nations is a viable option.
Disposable nappies are commonly made from timber pulp, cotton, rayon, and plastics like polyester, polyethylene, and polypropylene. Most are discarded in landfills or through incineration.
Siswanti Zuraida and her team crafted concrete and mortar specimens by blending washed, dried, and shredded waste from single-use diapers with cement, sand, gravel, and water. These specimens underwent a curing process lasting 28 days. The researchers evaluated six samples with varying ratios of diaper waste to determine their resistance to pressure before fracturing. Subsequently, they computed the highest percentage of sand that could be substituted with disposable diapers across various construction materials necessary for constructing a 36-square-meter house, conforming to Indonesian building regulations.
The researchers discovered that in the construction of columns and beams for a three-story house, disposable diaper waste could substitute for a maximum of ten percent of the required sand in the concrete. In the case of a single-story house, this proportion increased to 27 percent for columns and beams. When it comes to mortar used in partition walls, up to 40 percent of the sand could be replaced with disposable diapers, while for floors and garden paving, the substitution was limited to nine percent. Overall, in the construction of a single-story house with a floor area of 36 square meters, a total of eight percent of the sand in all concrete and mortar materials could be replaced with disposable diaper waste. This amounts to approximately 1.7 cubic meters of waste.
The authors emphasize that for the broader application of their findings, it is crucial to engage stakeholders from the government and waste management sectors. This collaboration is necessary to establish protocols and procedures for the widespread collection, sanitization, and shredding of diaper waste on a large scale. Furthermore, modifications to existing building regulations would be required to permit the utilization of diaper waste as a viable construction material. These adjustments would enable the integration of diaper waste into construction practices and promote sustainable waste management in the industry.
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Article details
Application of non-degradable waste as building material for low-cost housing
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-32981-y
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