- Startup Woosh today collects 7 tons of used diapers from more than 5,000 children in over 200 Flemish daycare centers.
- Woosh aims to connect around 40 additional daycare centers per month in 2022
- The ultimate goal is to create favorable conditions for the first recycling plant 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 will continue to support the company with products and expertise as it grows.
Today, Woosh delivers recyclable disposable diapers and collects used diapers from more than 200 daycare centers in Belgium with more than 5,200 children and aims to expand the service to more than 1,000 daycare centers by 2024. Together with waste companies, Woosh aims to set up the first diaper recycling plant in Belgium.
“At Ontex, we strive to reduce our environmental footprint across our entire supply chain. Diaper waste is the critical point in that chain that we need to address, also in our home country of Belgium. That’s why we helped launch and support Woosh,” says Joel Santos, Vice President, Strategy at Ontex.
“Our mission is to jumpstart disposable diaper recycling by delivering sufficient critical mass of used, recyclable diapers to recycling companies,” says Jeff Stubbe, co-founder of Woosh. “Our service to daycare centers started in Mechelen and has since 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 setting up the process for large-scale diaper recycling. Together with waste management partners who are willing to invest, Woosh wants to set up the first diaper recycling plant in Belgium. The diaper waste will be recycled into new raw materials. Until critical mass is reached, the diapers will be collected and incinerated. “We want to evolve from incineration to diaper recycling as quickly as possible and are working with various partners, including the government, to make this happen,” says Jeff Stubbe.
Positive step towards less waste
“This project contributes to the ambitions to make Belgium and Flanders a recycling hub on a 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 own. It’s 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 the De Engeltjes daycare center in the city of Oudenaarde.
CO2 emissions
Ontex is working with Woosh and other recyclers to make its diapers more recyclable. Ontex supplies recyclable diapers from its Little Big Change subscription brand to Woosh, which handles 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 (scope 1&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.care
- Investors Geoffroy Raskin +32 53 33 37 30 investor.relations@ontexglobal.com
About Ontex
Ontex is a leading international provider of personal hygiene solutions, with expertise in baby care, feminine care and adult care. Ontex’s innovative products are distributed in more than 110 countries through leading retailer brands, lifestyle brands and Ontex Group own brands. Employing approximately 9,000 people worldwide, Ontex has a presence in 21 countries, with its headquarters in Aalst, Belgium. Ontex shares are listed on Euronext Brussels and Ontex is part of the Bel Mid®. To keep up with the latest news, 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 government bodies also play an important role in building this diaper recycling consortium. Woosh now consists of a team of ten, 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 innovative solutions in the field of diaper waste in Belgium and abroad.
www.woosh.care
https://www.woosh.care
https://ontex.com/sustainability
Ontex supports Woosh to launch diaper recycling in Belgium
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 will continue to support the company with products and expertise as it grows.
Today, Woosh delivers recyclable disposable diapers and collects used diapers from more than 200 daycare centers in Belgium with more than 5,200 children and aims to expand the service to more than 1,000 daycare centers by 2024. Together with waste companies, Woosh aims to set up the first diaper recycling plant in Belgium.
“At Ontex, we strive to reduce our environmental footprint across our entire supply chain. Diaper waste is the critical point in that chain that we need to address, also in our home country of Belgium. That’s why we helped launch and support Woosh,” says Joel Santos, Vice President, Strategy at Ontex.
“Our mission is to jumpstart disposable diaper recycling by delivering sufficient critical mass of used, recyclable diapers to recycling companies,” says Jeff Stubbe, co-founder of Woosh. “Our service to daycare centers started in Mechelen and has since 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 setting up the process for large-scale diaper recycling. Together with waste management partners who are willing to invest, Woosh wants to set up the first diaper recycling plant in Belgium. The diaper waste will be recycled into new raw materials. Until critical mass is reached, the diapers will be collected and incinerated. “We want to evolve from incineration to diaper recycling as quickly as possible and are working with various partners, including the government, to make this happen,” says Jeff Stubbe.
Positive step towards less waste
“This project contributes to the ambitions to make Belgium and Flanders a recycling hub on a 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 own. It’s 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 the De Engeltjes daycare center in the city of Oudenaarde.
CO2 emissions
Ontex is working with Woosh and other recyclers to make its diapers more recyclable. Ontex supplies recyclable diapers from its Little Big Change subscription brand to Woosh, which handles 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 (scope 1&2) by 2030 and has reduced its Scope 1&2 emissions by more than 40% between 2020 and last year.
Information
About Ontex
Ontex is a leading international provider of personal hygiene solutions, with expertise in baby care, feminine care and adult care. Ontex’s innovative products are distributed in more than 110 countries through leading retailer brands, lifestyle brands and Ontex Group own brands. Employing approximately 9,000 people worldwide, Ontex has a presence in 21 countries, with its headquarters in Aalst, Belgium. Ontex shares are listed on Euronext Brussels and Ontex is part of the Bel Mid®. To keep up with the latest news, 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 government bodies also play an important role in building this diaper recycling consortium. Woosh now consists of a team of ten, 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 innovative solutions in the field of diaper waste in Belgium and abroad.
www.woosh.care
https://www.woosh.care
https://ontex.com/sustainability