- Today, startup Woosh collects 7 tons of used diapers from more than 5,000 children in more than 200 Flemish daycare centers.
- Woosh aims to connect approximately 40 additional daycare centers per month by 2022
- The ultimate goal is to create favorable conditions for the first recycling factory for disposable diapers in Flanders
Aalst, Belgium, May 30, 2022 – Ontex Group NV continues to supply recyclable disposable diapers to support Woosh, a Belgian startup that wants to make diaper recycling a reality in Belgium. Ontex helped launch the startup and continues to support the company with products and expertise throughout their growth.
Woosh today supplies recyclable disposable diapers and collects used diapers from more than 200 daycare centers in Belgium with more than 5,200 children and wants to expand the service to more than 1,000 daycare centers by 2024. Together with waste companies, Woosh wants to set up the first recycling factory for diapers in Belgium.
“At Ontex we strive to reduce our environmental footprint throughout our supply chain. Diaper waste is the critical point in that chain that we must tackle, including in our home country Belgium. That's why we helped launch and support Woosh,” said Joel Santos, Vice President, Strategy at Ontex.
“Our mission is to initiate the recycling of disposable diapers by supplying sufficient critical mass of used, recyclable diapers to recycling companies,” said Jeff Stubbe, co-founder of Woosh. “Our service to daycare centers started in Mechelen and has since been expanded to all 5 provinces of Flanders.”
First recycling site for diapers in Belgium The collection of used diapers is the first critical step in establishing the process for large-scale diaper recycling. Together with waste management partners who are willing to invest, Woosh wants to establish the first diaper recycling factory in Belgium. The diaper waste will be recycled into new raw materials. Until the critical mass is reached, the diapers are collected and burned. “We want to move from incineration to diaper recycling as quickly as possible and are working with various partners, including the government, to realize this,” says Jeff Stubbe.
Positive step towards less waste
“This project contributes to the ambitions to make Belgium and Flanders a recycling hub at European and global level. In addition to asbestos waste and plastics, diaper waste is a priority for Flanders,” says Jeff Stubbe.”
The response from the daycare centers is positive. “Thanks to Woosh's service, we always have enough quality diapers and we don't have to ask parents to bring their diapers. It is also nice to be able to contribute, knowing that our used diapers are collected with the aim of recycling disposable diapers in Belgium,” says Romina, manager of De Engeltjes daycare center in the city of Oudenaarde.
Co2 emissions
Ontex works with Woosh and other recycling companies to make its diapers more recyclable. Ontex supplies recyclable diapers from its subscription brand Little Big Change to Woosh, which takes care of distribution. Through the project, Ontex also aims to reduce its Scope 3 emissions by replacing the incineration of used diapers with the reuse of raw materials. The company aims to be carbon neutral (scope1&2) by 2030 and has reduced its Scope 1&2 emissions by more than 40% between 2020 and last year.
Information
- Media Maarten Verbanck +32 492 72 42 67 corporate.communications@ontexglobal.com Jeff Stubbe co-founder Woosh +32 474 60 27 13 jeff@woosh.be
- Investors Geoffroy Raskin +32 53 33 37 30 investor.relations@ontexglobal.com
About Ontex
Ontex is a leading international manufacturer of personal hygiene products, with extensive expertise in baby care, feminine hygiene and adult care. Ontex's innovative products are distributed in more than 110 countries through leading retailer brands, lifestyle brands and private brands of the Ontex group. Approximately 9,000 people work for Ontex in 21 countries worldwide. The head office is located in Aalst, Belgium. Ontex shares are listed on Euronext Brussels and Ontex is part of Bel Mid®. To stay up to date with the latest news, please visit ontex.com or follow Ontex on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Woosh
Woosh was founded in January 2021 within Thingit. Together with Wouter Vandamme, Jeff Stubbe and Alby Roseveare want to make diaper recycling possible in Belgium. In addition to the partnership with Ontex, local administrative bodies also play an important role in the construction of this diaper recycling consortium. Woosh now consists of a ten-person team, based in Ghent, with the ambition to make diaper recycling a reality in Belgium. In addition, Woosh also wants to be a knowledge partner to develop innovation solutions in the field of diaper waste in Belgium and abroad.