Municipal refuse collection services often don’t reach all families in low-income communities like Langa. Disposable diapers are frequently discarded in open areas, which becomes a public health risk.

Professor Rinie Schenck of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies of Children said results of a research pilot indicated that nearly two tons of used diapers - roughly some 6 000 - per month can be collected from 12 Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres and 160 parents for transporting out of the township and safe disposal.

Lessons learnt through this exercise will help improve community health in Langa and elsewhere in the future.

Kimberly-Clark, manufacturers of leading brand Huggies, have been funding the pilot research

project in Langa to collect used disposable diapers from ECD centres and parents and take them out of the township for safe disposal. The company is one of several in the industry that faces international pressure to come up with a more environmentally friendly disposal solution for used diapers and supports the Langa project to reach a workable solution.

Caption: Kimberly-Clark Global Sustainability and Research staff at the weigh-in of diaper waste as part of research piloting collection methods for safe disposal.

Recently, Prof Schenck, UWC researchers, along with Hugh Tyrrell from GreenEdge consultancy and Dr Marc Kalina from ETH Zurich University, who support the project, and other pilot programmes, co-hosted the US-based company representatives in Langa for a site visit.  Dr Kalina from ETH Zurich University, and is now at UWC, managed a similar project in Johanna Road and Blackburn informal settlements in Durban.

Prof Schenck, who is the South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) Chair in Waste and Society, said she hoped the relationship with Kimberly-Clark continues to assist with future research.

Meanwhile, two pilot projects in Langa have tackled disposable diaper (DD) waste management in low-income areas using 'drop-off' and 'pick-up' models since 2023. The 'drop-off' model involved parents depositing DDs at ECD centres, while the 'pick-up' model used mobile carts for door-to-door collection, offering greater convenience. Combining these approaches provided safe disposal options for diverse backgrounds. 

The projects showcased families’ willingness to separate DDs from household waste when given practical options. Success relied on clear communication, community involvement, and sustained motivation, but financial sustainability and wider implementation remained challenges. Future expansion was recommended for broader impact.