Diaper Stork Receives Grant From Washington Department of Commerce

At Diaper Stork, we’re committed to providing families with eco-friendly diapering solutions that reduce waste and make sustainable parenting easier. From cloth diaper laundry service to compostable diaper collection, our mission has always been about helping parents make greener choices without sacrificing convenience.

We’re thrilled to announce a new milestone in our journey. Diaper Stork was one of 10 recipients awarded funding from the Department of Commerce’s Industrial Symbiosis grant. The Climate Commitment Act helps fund this grant. The CCA supports Washington’s climate action efforts by putting cap-and-invest dollars to work reducing climate pollution, creating jobs, and improving public health. Information about the CCA is available at https://climate.wa.gov/.

This grant allows us to take another bold step toward a future where diapering is both convenient and sustainable, and we couldn’t be more excited about what’s ahead. This funding gives us the resources to:

• Expand our compostable diaper services – Making it easier for families across Washington to choose a more sustainable diapering option.
• Improve our operations – Enhancing our collection, processing, and education efforts so that more families can participate in eco-friendly diapering.
• Invest in biochar research – Exploring how diaper waste can be converted into biochar, reducing landfill waste and creating a valuable byproduct for carbon sequestration and soil enrichment.

What Is Biochar?

One of the most exciting aspects of this grant is the ability to explore biochar processing as a diaper waste solution. Biochar, a carbon-rich material produced through the pyrolysis of organic matter, has been recognized for its ability to enhance soil fertility by improving nutrient retention and can also be used in water filtration.

How Is Biochar Made?

The biochar creation process begins with organic waste undergoing a thermochemical process in an enclosed system with high heat and no oxygen. This controlled environment prevents combustion while converting waste into carbon-rich biochar. Any exhaust produced is filtered through a catalytic converter, ensuring minimal impact on air quality. The result? Carbon is sequestered into biochar, where it remains locked in the soil for hundreds of years, effectively reducing CO₂ levels that contribute to global warming.

Biochar functions similarly to compost as a soil amendment but offers unique advantages—it's more porous, dry, and nutrient-rich, making it an excellent tool for soil improvement. We're exploring this technology because it processes waste faster, eliminates pathogens, and significantly reduces hauling costs.

More importantly, biochar has the potential to transform diaper waste from an environmental burden into a valuable resource—closing the loop on waste while enriching soil for future generations. Instead of sitting in landfills for centuries, disposable diapers could be converted into biochar in just hours—a breakthrough with enormous environmental benefits. With the support of the Climate Commitment Act, we now have the chance to test and implement the power of this technology.

A Call to Action: Rethink Diapers, Reimagine Landfills

This is an exciting time for families who have already embraced cloth diapering or compostable options, as well as those exploring it for the first time. Here’s how you can be part of the movement:

• Choose a sustainable diapering option – Whether it’s cloth, compostable, or a mix of both, every step toward sustainability helps.
• Stay informed about biochar and diaper waste solutions – The more we know, the more we can advocate for change. Follow our blog and join our mailing list to start.
• Spread the word – Help us educate and inspire more families to make eco-friendly diapering choices.
• Support Diaper Stork’s mission – By choosing our services, you’re directly contributing to a greener future for diapering. The future of diapering is changing, and we’re proud to be at the forefront of this transformation with our partnership with the Washington Department of Commerce, participation in the NextCycle Accelerator program, and collaboration with other efforts promoting a sustainable future. But we can’t do it alone. Join us as we move forward toward our goal of making eco-friendly diapering the new normal.
• Do you have coffee chaff, sawdust or other dry material we can use as co-feed? Contact us and we can pick it up from you.