TREND WATCH

A roundup of business developments spotted by other publications. Disposable Diapers: The Arizona company that makes TenderCare disposable diapers is developing a flushable diaper. RMed International reports that it has come up with a product called TenderSoft that can be flushed in a toilet like other degradable wastes. Procter & Gamble abandoned a similar product in the 1960s after tests showed consumers were more apt to throw it away than flush it. Now, with the world’s growing ecology consciousness, P&G; or Kimberly-Clark may be ready to try the idea again. Cleveland Plain Dealer

Corporate Cleanup: Payless Drug Stores Northwest and the Fred Meyer drugstore chain have started programs to increase recycling and reduce waste at the corporate level. Payless is pushing its people to recycle 98% of their paper. It will also set up recycling stations for employees to drop off household materials. Fred Meyer says it will tell customers about environmentally friendly products, stock more of them and use office cleaning materials that break down easily. Portland Oregonian

Healthy Hospitals: Traditional general hospitals soon may be a thing of the past, according to creators of popular new hospitals in south Florida. While still providing most general services, the hospitals tout themselves as specialists in sports medicine, gynecology, emergency care and other fields. Older hospitals in south Florida and elsewhere may have to fall in with the trend or lose business to the newcomers. South Florida Business Journal

Nonstop Competition: Some regional airlines are thriving in the shadow of big competitors. Midwest Express, based in Milwaukee, is determined to compete with Northwest Airlines on Western routes. It is adding two MD-88s to its fleet of 11 smaller DC-9s and by mid-March will carry passengers nonstop to San Francisco, San Diego and Los Angeles. In contrast, Texas-based Conquest Airlines shuns competition with the major carriers and concentrates on routes between the state’s smaller cities. Conquest believes that it will break even this year, a feat for a 2-year-old airline. Houston Chronicle, Milwaukee Journal

Price Hitches: Frozen Food Express, a trucking service in Dallas, has been struggling with rising fuel costs since last summer and finally decided to add a fuel surcharge of 4% to 5%. If fuel costs continue to escalate, industry experts believe that other trucking firms will add a surcharge or raise rates outright. Dallas Business Journal