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The debate over cloth versus disposable diapers is an old one. Originally, the arguments centered on which type was best for baby or most convenient to use. Recently, concerns over the environmental effects of diaper production, use, and disposal have entered into the fray.
While much research has been done on the topic, most environmental impact studies on diapers have been funded by the diaper manufacturers themselves. The results are often contradictory and skewed in favor of each maker’s products.
After sifting through information from many sources, some basic facts come to light.
Cloth Diaper Water Usage
Washing cloth diapers throughout the 6,000 or more diaper changes a child will need before he is potty-trained will use about 10,000 gallons of water, according to some estimates. For comparison, during the same time five flushes per day of an average toilet would use 20,000 gallons. If you consider that each diaper change will likely need a toilet flush to empty the waste, it’s obvious that cloth diapers use a lot of water. That isn’t the whole story, though.
Makers of disposables often point to the water used to launder cloth diapers. They sometimes ignore the large amounts of water used in manufacturing disposables. Also overlooked by disposable diaper makers is the fact that they themselves recommend flushing the contents of a disposable diaper before throwing it in the trash. This would offset much of the water savings they claim to offer.
Although water use is a concern, it is a somewhat renewable resource.
Cloth vs. Disposable Diaper Resource Usage
Laundering cloth diapers uses lots of energy to heat water and dry the cloth after washing. This requires electricity, which can be a source of greenhouse gas emissions and may come from non-renewable resources. Natural gas is non-renewable and results in CO2 emissions.
Manufacturing disposables also depletes energy and resources. A 1991 report published by the Landbank Consultancy estimated that producing disposables uses 20 times more raw materials and 3 times more energy than cloth diapers. Among the raw materials consumed are approximately 250,000 trees per year in the U.S. alone. The plastic outer liner of disposables is made using crude oil, a resource already in dwindling supply.
Cloth vs. Disposable Diaper Pollution
Cotton used to make cloth diapers is an extremely pesticide- and fertilizer-heavy crop. The plants don’t absorb all the huge amounts of fertilizers and pesticides used; much of it drains into water supplies through field run-off and seepage. Once in the water supply, pesticides poison fish and other animals as well as people. Nitrates from fertilizers cause bacterial growth in streams and lakes, reducing oxygen levels and killing fish. Nitrates also contaminate drinking water supplies.
Disposable diaper production has its own set of problems. The chlorine bleaching of wood pulp to make paper for disposables produces dioxin, one of the most toxic substances known. Producing plastic for the outer liner generates large quantities of greenhouse gases.
After being used once, disposable diapers wind up in plastic garbage bags and eventually in landfills. There they may sit for decades, unable to biodegrade without sunlight or adequate oxygen. What little decay that does occur is anaerobic and generates methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Some of the so-called “biodegradable” versions still contain the same linings and absorbent materials used in regular disposables.
There is concern that over time, the urine and feces in trashed diapers may leach into groundwater and contaminate drinking water supplies. This could potentially spread human disease, though it’s not known to have happened yet.
The Bottom Line
What can parents do to lessen the environmental impact of their child’s diaper use? Both cloth and disposable diapers have greener versions available. Eco-friendly disposable diapers are available that use a chlorine-free bleaching process, which eliminates dioxin formation and is less irritating to the skin. Some are being made using cellulose-based absorbent and lining materials derived from corn, which manufacturers tout as compostable.
Organic cotton farming uses natural pest control and fertilizers, reducing the harmful effects of synthetic chemicals. Cloth made from this cotton can be bleached using hydrogen peroxide or other chlorine-free methods.
Using a diaper service uses less water and energy per diaper than home laundering.
Parents can opt to use eco-friendly cloth diapers while at home and more convenient disposables when travelling or shopping.
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