The Environmental Impact of Disposable Hygiene Adhesives Today and Tomorrow

Consumers like you have a growing interest in the ingredients and processes used to manufacture the products that you purchase. You want to know more about what is done with your health and that of the planet in mind. Your questions are valid! 

Because Bostik is a leading provider of adhesives for the disposable hygiene industry, we believe it is important to help keep you informed about how we contribute to the disposable products you may rely on. These include baby diapers; feminine hygiene pads and liners; adult incontinence briefs, protective underwear, and pads. 

The difference between disposable hygiene products then and now

You may not have known that evolution in adhesive technology has helped make disposable diapers about half the weight than they were in  the early days. Currently, adhesives represent only about 3% of the total weight of a disposable diaper. The main job of the adhesive is to bond together the various materials that make up the diaper. The adhesive also plays a key role in giving you the level of performance you expect. 

To keep performance levels high, adhesive suppliers like Bostik look for ways to make our adhesives more flexible and versatile. The goal is to meet the needs of both the manufacturers who produce the disposable articles and consumers like you. Today’s adhesives must work with the newest materials available. When a manufacturer wants to incorporate a new material—perhaps one that is more environmentally friendly, more sustainable, or lighter—Bostik’s scientists try to find the best solution to make it happen. 

We are able to do this by:

• Understanding ever-changing regulations across the globe
• Meeting and exceeding government and regulatory expectations
• Making advancements to fulfil and anticipate consumer desires
• Working with our customers worldwide to help them develop more sustainable solutions 

Part of our innovation process is to take a close look at the environmental impact of our adhesives. Our scientists use a methodology called Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) to do this. It provides us with valuable information about the environmental impact our adhesives have, from “cradle” to the gate of our plant in general: 

• When their raw materials are collected and processed
• When they are manufactured
• Even sometimes when they are used in the production of disposable hygiene products

This data helps us identify opportunities to make changes that positively impact overall performance and the environmental footprint. We believe every choice we make about our adhesives can positively impact the products you buy. It is the socially responsible thing to do.

Tomorrow’s advancements start today

At Bostik, our team is dedicated to finding ways to create even smarter adhesive products. Rest assured that we are dedicated to making the best choices to keep consumers like you, and our planet, healthy and safe for generations to come.

CODE: SOI-21A10