Apparatus and process for recycling absorbent sanitary products

A process for treating used absorbent sanitary products, comprising the steps of:

• providing a rotary cylindrical autoclave having a side wall and two ends, at least one of which terminates in a hatch that can be opened to enable access to said autoclave and sealably closed to enable pressurization of said autoclave;
• loading said autoclave with closed absorbent sanitary products;
• heating and pressurizing the autoclave to a sterilization temperature and at the same time driving the autoclave in rotation about a longitudinal axis thereof;
• and
• supplying pressurized fluid to a plurality of cutting nozzles arranged for directing respective jets of pressurized fluid inside said autoclave.